The Last Fragments of You
by Alternative Therapy
Summary: Post anime. Spike is back on the Bebop and the Lions Syndicate is out for his head. They will do anything to get him even if it means dealing with the loud mouth Faye. FxS
1. Prologue

This is placed after Spike's "death" only, obivously, he survived. Julia is dead and so is Vicious, althought I'm not quite sure where I am going with this. This story mainly revolves around Faye so, if you don't like Faye you might want to leave. Enjoy.

The Last Fragments of You

by: Alternative Therapy

Prologue

Faye Valentine smoothed the wrinkles out of her dress, the cool black silk still able to make her feel beautiful even after the nightmares that she had survived through while wearing this skimpy thing. Although, Faye couldn't help but feel a slight comfort in the fact that ever time she had worn it she had managed to live through whatever nightmare was presented to her. Faye pulled lightly on one of the shoulder straps and shook her head; it was a miracle the dress was still intact.

Faye grabbed her silver necklace off her dresser and paused to look at it. The fake diamond glinting off the pale light off the ceiling fan, though it was cheap it still fit the part nicely accompanying the earrings that she had bought so long ago. Her slender fingers pulled the metal clasp through the strands of her hair and she grimaced in pain as she hooked it together. She paused looking at the mirror her long hair hanging limply about her shoulders.

She easily reached up gathering her hair and with a simple twist she molded her hair into an intricate mass to form a bun. When Faye drew her hands away she smiled satisfied at the end result. She wasn't exactly sure when she had learned the skills of putting on her painted face, a picture of perfection, a mask, but it had come in handy over the years. It allowed her to get what she wanted. Either managing to catch a bounty with a simple wink of an eye, or hiding the truth and ugliness of her past, she always got what she wanted.

Faye Valentine had survived many encounters over the years, and she knew that she hadn't survived them by being the angel the perfect face portrayed. There were many times when it would come down to kill or be killed and in those emotion hastened moments it usually did not take long to make a life worthy decision.

Faye slowly sunk onto her bed and bent down to slip on the new sleek black shoes that she had bought earlier in the day for his approaching hunt. This hunt was going to be in a classy joint, and her white boots and yellow suit just wouldn't cut it in this place, so Faye found herself in a downtown district of mars searching to make her outfit complete.

Faye found herself struggling over an issue that most women would have found simple – save the money and buy the cheap knock offs. But as Faye had stood in front of that shoe display pondering the amount left on her card, she couldn't help but think of how nice it would be to be able to own one nice thing. And, she now reasoned as she stared at her well curved and painted reflection in the mirror, that she had made the right decision.

She couldn't help but think how gaudy the cheap leather would have looked compared to the fine silk of her dress. Several loud thumps pulled Faye out of her thoughts before the door slide open. Spike's lanky form leaned against the opposite wall, a cigarette hanging limply from his mouth and his hand resting on the knee of the foot that was propped up against the same wall he was leaning against. This position only lead Faye to believe that out of sheer laziness that the several loud thumps had been Spike kicking the door instead of knocking like a normal person.

Though it was very brief and concealed, Faye didn't miss the sweep of his eyes over her body; any emotions that he may have felt easily blurred and quickly dissipated behind a single puff of smoke that rose from his mouth. Faye quirked an eyebrow at his wrinkled attire but refrained from speaking. Any curt or teasing words would automatically lead to a fight and both knew that a fight before a bounty never sat well with either of them and they usually ended up either killing their bounty head or allowing him to escape.

Of course, this theory had not been tested since he came back from his mission for death. No, it was hard to draw any emotion out of Spike these days, now that his precious Julia was dead and he had nothing more to live for. It left Faye wondering why he just didn't end it all if he thought he didn't have anything to live for. Faye lowered her gaze and could only think about herself; even if you had nothing to live for, you lived for yourself at least that was what she had believed.

So, instead of trying to start any sort of fight with Spike, Faye inclined her head in a small nod of hello and pushed a lose strand of purple hair behind her ear. Spike responded by pulling the cigarette out of his mouth and flicking some ash onto the floor before forcing his mahogany eyes to meet hers. "Jet wanted to know if you're ready?" The sound of his voice was soft and hoarse sounding, almost eerie among the din of the ship.

Faye allowed a silence to carry for several seconds before she glanced away, head lowering in shame at the fact that she had not been able to keep his gaze; that she had been out done by the cowboy again in a simple staring match, even if Spike hadn't thought of it as a competition. But ever since the day she had shot several bullets into the ceiling she would find moments of weakness in herself that she could not cover quickly enough in front of this cool and aloof man and she was sure that he knew exactly what she felt. Faye drew in a shaky breath and nodded lightly. "Yes. Tell Jet I'll be right there."

Spike stayed where he was, eyes locked skeptically on Faye, words not needed to express his suspicion of her covered words. Faye had done a wonderful job tonight of covering up her vulnerability, but it was in her hesitancy to answer that he caught her. Faye could still feel Spike staring down at her and she slowly worked up the courage to force her eyes to lock with his once again. Staring up at him she was able to speak more firmly than she had before, a voice daring Spike to challenge her. "I just need to get my gun."

Whether she had managed to play off her hesitancy to speak or not remained to be seen, but something in her voice had convinced Spoke that she was fine for the moment and he stalked away as if he had just happened to be passing by. Faye closed her eyes in relief and her right had found the strap that had her gun plastered almost painfully to her upper inner thigh.

She made sure it was secure and threw a glance back to her image in the mirror, suddenly needing a cigarette more than she ever had. She walked over to her desk and pulled a pack of cigarettes out of the drawer, and examined its contents before lighting up. A few hit quickly soothed the nerves that Spike had managed to fray, but as Faye studied her worry creased face in the mirror, she knew that she would need a lot more confidence if her plan was going to succeed. And that meant overcoming the doubt that Spike so easily filled her with. She would do the only thing she really knew how to do. Face the problem head on and hope she survived.


	2. Chapter 1

Here's chapter one. Chapter two is already done, it just has to be revised and posted. I'm pressed for time at the moment so I really didn't have time to look over this before I posted, so please excuse my typos. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I promise there will be more action in chapter two! Thank you for all your reviews and support!

Chapter One

By Alternative Therapy

Faye paused in her walk through the common room, her gaze locked on the mop of green hair resting on the armrest of the old yellow couch. Faye had stopped only a few feet behind the couch and could easily peer down at the man who, since leaving her to the solitude of her room and taken over the vacant furniture and was now comfortably stretched out over the worn yellow cushions both eyes closed, completely relaxed. Faye slowly drew the cigarette up to her full lips, and soon smoke was curling up passed her face, a long stripe of ash replacing that paper that held the cancer stick together.

As she lowered her hand back to her side, Faye realized that Spike probably knew she was probably there; he was a light sleeper, but Faye couldn't be totally sure that he was even asleep at this particular moment. Since Spike had found his way back to the bebop he had talked less than ever to her, though he really never talked that much to her to begin with, but Jet had immediately saw that something was wrong. Now Faye felt weighed down by the burden that Jet had so unceremoniously dropped on her shoulders: the task of pulling Spike out of his depression. Faye shook her head and had to rein back her dubious laughter at the insurmountable task that Jet had presented to her. Faye sighed and carelessly flicked some ash off the end of her cigarette. She watched as the blackened shards of burnt paper slowly floated down over her partner and speckled his wrinkled blue suit.

"What do you want, Faye?" Spike's rough voice made her jump. His eyes were still closed but he shifted to sunk deeper into the cushions, rolling his head around until he was once again comfortable. Faye couldn't help the smile that rose to her lips at what she had done, though some simple cigarette ash wouldn't cause any harm, let alone mark up his clothes, but at the sight of it, Faye couldn't help but get a twisted sense of satisfaction out if it.

Faye shook her head at her idiocy and waved Spike away even though she knew he couldn't see the gesture before she made to move around the couch. "I don't want anything Spike. I was lost in thought and didn't realize you were there. I was just blindly passing through." Spike grunted softly in response and lazily opened one eye to gaze up at her. Faye looked back at the sound and found herself in another staring match with him. This time Spike was the one to look away first, eye sliding closed, and Faye once again felt another perverse bit of satisfaction over that fact. She made to move up the stairs to the bridge but Spike's hollow sounding voice stopped her.

"Thanks for sharing, Faye; cigarette ash is exactly what I wanted." Though Spike's voice sounded deflated, Faye was sure there were hints of amusement hitch around the edges, and the few moments of bliss that she once had was gone and quickly replaced by her own anger.

Spike still hadn't really moved since she had entered, and his laid back demeanor had not changed over the few short weeks he had been. It was starting to grate on Faye's nerves. Faye took a few threatening steps back toward the couch, her heel clicks louder and more pronounced in her anger, a tightly drawn smile adorning her face. "A little ash never hurt anyone."

The malice that laced her words made Spike tilt his head back to peer at her and though she appeared to be hard pressed to keep any emotion off her face, Spike could swear that he had never seen a more furious look on her face. Spike watched Faye battle with her emotions for several more seconds before he slowly sat up and swung his feet to the cool metal floor, his expression completely nonchalant. "All right, I'll give you that. But learning to share can't hurt you either."

Faye wasn't exactly sure what Spike was trying to do, and at the moment, she found that her tongue was pasted to the top of her mouth, a large amount of uncertainty plaguing her. Spike had said something quite unexpected. Faye could tell that he was clearly baiting her, purely striving for a fight. It was a game in his mind, something he did for fun. But, at least it was some kind of emotion, some of the old Spike showing through. But a sudden weariness grasped at her, and Faye found herself backing down before the fight even really began. She needed out of the room before she completely lost her temper with him. "You have your own cigarettes, Spike."

The low drained sounding tone was obviously not lost on Spike, and as Faye turned to leave again, his voice stopped her for a second time, but now there's was no denying there was a sharp growing anger in his voice. "So?"

Faye looked down at the butt of her cigarette and snorted, flicking some more ash to the floor. It truly appeared that Faye would have no troubles bringing back the old Spike, especially his anger, she had always been to draw that out of him easily enough. "I'll share when you stop being such an ass, Spike. Or, maybe when you pull yourself out of the god damn slump you've been in since you've come back."

Faye knew that drawing out his anger was definitely not the way to go getting back the old halfway decent Spike, especially not by dropping statements that always seemed to allude back to Julia in some way or another. Faye had heard his nightmares, where he would cry out a dead woman's name in the middle of the night and now she brought it up when he was awake. She saw the flash of anger that crossed his eyes; she saw him tense, his stiff posture halting any other scathing words that might have formed between her lips. Spike was suffering; she saw it plainly ever day. If bringing his anger upon herself was the only way to break through the ice that had been erected around him, than she would continue to anger him; how could she stop now when she was beginning to see traces of the old Spike, the Spike that she half believed that she had fallen in love with.

As Faye had expected, Spike's next words were completely laced with anger and though it may not have been the happy old Spike Faye had been aiming for, any sign of what he used to be was considered a good thing in her mind for the moment. "All right." Spike spoke through grit teeth. "I'll stop being such an ass when you stop being a whore, Faye."

The comment might have been more biting had it left the lips of someone else's mouth, but from Spike, she just took it as an over used snide remark that had long fallen on deaf ears. When Spike noticed that his words didn't set off an immediate reaction in her, he allowed the anger to continue to rule him for several seconds, before fighting it back behind his calm mask. The anger was gone as quickly as it had flared up, and once again his aloof demeanor ruled supreme over his emotions. Spike slowly leaned back, propped his feet on the table and laced his fingers behind his head before closing his eyes once again as though nothing of the previous conversation had happened.

The utter calmness that fell over him caused Faye's anger to flare. Her contempt for the man had only gained strength over the month he had been away, and the two weeks since his return. As the days continued to pass, Faye was finding it more and more difficult to keep from throttling the man. But as always, she took a deep breath and reined in her anger. Instead, she found a much more satisfying way of showing her disdain, her eyes catching the slowly dissolving cigarette butt in her left hand.

Without hesitation, Faye gracefully flicked her wrist and sent the butt of her cigarette, still glowing red at its tip, towards Spike where it fell lightly into one of the folds of his shirt out of sight. A smirk curled onto Faye's painted face as she turned back to the stairs. "I'm going to see Jet about this bounty." She paused halfway up and looked down at her partner's slack form. "Don't let the cigarette ash burn you." Faye's voice was hitched up a level lingering somewhere between a sarcastic and snide tone, her smirk blossoming even wider. Spike didn't answer but lazily waved her away, not taking her words of caution to heart.

When Faye entered the bridge, Jet looked back over his shoulder and smiled at her. He was dressed up in a sleek white tuxedo that he had worn a couple of times before on hunts. He struck a pose as Faye gave him a critical once over, nodding admiringly at the fact that what the little hair that he had was slicked back and combed through, and his face was freshly shaven. Faye raised an appreciative eyebrow and showed him her acceptance by giving him a curt nod. Faye was sure that if she didn't know any better, she could have mistaken Jet for some upper class snob.

As Jet gave her thumbs up, once he had her approval, Faye held up a delicate finger. "One little thing." She stepped up closer to him, lifting up onto her tiptoes and started to adjust his bowtie. "It's nice to see that someone is at least trying to dress up." The hint of anger that was spliced through Faye's voice didn't get passed Jet who softly reached up and halted Faye's fiddling fingers.

When Jet tried to look directly into her eyes, he found that she wasn't willing to meet his gaze but instead stayed focused on the space outside the window. Jet rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, and knew that the subject that had to be touched upon was going to cause him more grief than it was worth. "Is Spike's aloof mannerism still holding?" Jet's curious question caused Faye to let out a frustrated sigh, her tolerance of the green haired man reaching its end. Taking a cue off of Faye's reaction to his question, Jet slowly lowered his shaking head, hand coming up to lightly massage the bridge of his nose as he contemplated their next steps with the depressed man. "If you can't get a rise from him –" Jet trailed off sounding hopeless.

It was Faye's reply that caused him to go wide eyed. "No, that's not it." Surprise replaced Jet's pained face and he whipped around to stare dumbly at Faye who still refused to look him in the eyes. Faye could feel his eyes on her and lightly rubbed the back of her neck in discomfort, finding it harder by the minute to tear her gaze away from the cool hardened space that pressed against the window. "He called me a whore tonight." Her voice was soft and though not exactly hurt something akin to it lurked in her voice. But Jet didn't quite catch the sound, and was ecstatic over the news.

It was strange to watch someone become happy over the fact that Spike had blatantly called her a whore. It irked her even more that Jet was the person who was suddenly beaming like it was the greatest thing in the world was Jet, and he was broadly smiling as he patted Faye on the shoulder.

"That's great!" Jet's voice boomed across the room in sudden joy, and after several moments where Faye didn't join in, he seemed to realize what he had just said. To his credit, Jet managed to fake several coughs to fight the happy chuckles that were emerging from the back of his throat and hastily threw in, "Not that you're a whore anymore, Faye," He blanched at the stupidity of his words and tried to quickly cover his own ass again. "Not that you ever were one!" Jet was fumbling and he knew it, so he quickly pressed on. "It's great that you were able to make him angry! I haven't heard much more than a couple of words out of him since he came back. It's amazing that you got him to fight with you!"

Faye nodded solemnly; it wasn't that she got him to fight with her; it was more the other way around. Faye's eyes were still on Mercury, watching as it slowly grew bigger in the window. It wouldn't be long before they set off for the annual Mercury Ball that their bounty head was supposedly attending. If they were able to catch this bounty she might hit one of Mercury's casinos. The thought of going to a casino gave her a more brightened her quickly darkening mood and, at the thought of all the money that would easily be in her reach, she was finally able to look at Jet and gave him a small smile.

She could still see the glee that lurked in his eyes, the glee at the fact that Spike was coming back around, and it was definitely the first time she had seen this much giddiness from the older man. "First you convince him to join us on this hunt and now you're making him angry! Whatever you're doing Faye, don't quit! I think it might be working." Though Faye nodded in agreement she couldn't help but feel a bit resentful. Resentful that she couldn't be the one to make Jet this happy; resentful that she would probably never be the one to make Spike happy.

Faye sighed and thought back to the tactics she had used to get Spike to come on the hunt. Truthfully, it hadn't taken all that much: a simple mention of some spending money and the softly implied suggestion that she would hurt him if he didn't get off his ass and help pull his weight on this ship again. Okay, Faye would silently admit to herself that it wasn't such a softly put suggestion, but coming after Spike with a butcher knife before he had fully awaken and before he had his coffee two days in a row had seemed to get the desired effect. Violence was the only thing that got through to Spike's muffled mind these days.

The more Faye thought about it, the less sure she was that she wasn't the one getting played by Spike. She could only take a guess now that Spike was enjoying watching her get riled up and angry, and was only using the aloof act to rattle her cage. Today was the first day that she actually pressed his buttons back and his anger, which was obviously just hanging below the surface, sprang up the minute she started fiddling with the old well known switches. It made her wonder.

"Faye!" Spike's angry voice cut her out of her reverie and caused her to smirk as the green haired man stormed into the bridge holding his hand close to his chest. Faye smirked slipped into a sweet smile, acting as if she hadn't the slightest idea as to what was happening, though she couldn't stop from arching a slender eyebrow in amusement; apparently she had hit the right buttons.

Jet watched in shocked amazement as Spike's anger flared, the first time Jet had seen his partners temper rise since Jet had hauled him out of the hospital. Jet could only watch now as Spike rose menacingly above Faye, anger causing him to tremble as his eyes narrowed. "Care to explain?" Spike shook his injured hand violently in front of Faye's face.

Faye merely folded her arms and tilted her head to the side. "I told you to be careful not to let it burn you. Although, I guess I only mentioned the ash," she paused, her voice cool and low. "I never did tell you about the cigarette on your lap, did I?" Her overly sweet cold voice sent another tremble of anger down Spike's back.

"Goddamn it, Faye! You think this is a joke?" His words came out muffled sounding, and Faye knew that it was because he was trying his best not to show his anger anymore than he already had.

Faye sighed dramatically, and flung her head back as though in great despair, bringing the back of her hand to rest against her forehead. A tragic moan swept across her lips. "Oh, the woes of Spike." Faye cast a glance over to Jet as she came out of her pose, and he seemed to be rooted to his spot in shock, not sure what to do or say. Faye couldn't help the smile that continued to drag the corners of her mouth higher.

"Cute. Very cute." Spike's snarled words were sliced with sarcasm. He dropped the offensive hand, his emotions slowly coming back under his command and shifting back to its original calm.

But Faye knew that the heated anger was still deeply seeded within him. "Yes, the woes of Spike who cries over more than just a sore hand." It was a cheap shot, Faye knew, and she regretted her words the moment they left her lips, but the resentful feeling would not fade, leaving her with very little room to think clearly.

Though Spike's face remained clam, his eyes darkened and narrowed the tiniest fraction. His voice came out in a hushed anger that Faye had heard plenty times before when they had fought and she had gone too far. "Tread carefully, Faye. You're on thin ice."

Jet was suddenly broke into the conversation by letting out another one of his hearty and obviously faked chuckles as he slapped his hand across the computer panel as if the noise would erase what Faye had said. "So, who's ready to go get that bounty?" The tension in the air was thick and both Fay and Spike were breathing heavily. Jet quickly walked over to Spike and placed both hands on his partners' shoulders. "Let's get that burn cleaned up and get ready."

Jet's voice was back to its normal gruff, commanding tone as he lightly guided Spike towards the door. Spike wrenched out of Jet's grip, glaring at Faye and angrily stalked towards the out leaving without another word. Jet sighed and turned to Faye with a weary smile. "Get us clearance to land, will you?" Faye nodded and Jet turned to leave but stopped in the doorframe. "Usually I would say to watch what you say, but I guess that any emotion from his now is good. Just be careful not too take it too far too fast." Jet shook his head as he turned to look down the stairs at Spike's stiff form. "Like goddamn old times. It's started all over again. They'll never stop fighting now."

Faye smiled as she listened to Jet muttering under his breath before he strode out the door and it swished closed behind him. But the words she wasn't supposed to her making her pause in thought.

Like old times? Faye wasn't quite sure if that's what she wanted.

Faye turned to the closest computer panel and typed out a sequence of numbers, the keys lighting up beneath her finger tips.

Old times meant that she would once again be the outcast in the group.

Her eyes looked up as a fuzzy screen flashed onto the monitor ahead of her, the word 'connecting. . .' blinking on and off.

Old times meant that she was useless in Jet's and Spike's minds.

A young woman flashed on the screen brightly smiling at Faye through a series of digital pixels. "Mercury Space Coordination Center, I'm your Space Coordinator Angela. How can I be of assistance?"

It would mean that Spike would hate her again . . . perhaps hate her more now than he ever did because she, the bitchy slut, was alive and his angel wasn't.

Faye looked up at the woman, face void of any emotion. "My ship, the Bebop is on orbit around Mercury. I'd like to get clearance to land and dock, please." The woman nodded and looked somewhere off screen.

Faye closed her eyes and clenched her fists. She wouldn't allow that to happen, she wouldn't allow herself to be pushed aside.

"All right, Bebop. You are clear to land in a half hour. Please make your way to formation sixteen a half a click east of your current location. Once in Mercury's atmosphere please go directly to dock fifteen. Thank you for your cooperation and have a nice day." The screen shorted out and Angela was gone in a flash of the screen.

Faye scrunched up her nose, and raised a hand to her pounding head. She wouldn't be pushed away. Faye's eyes suddenly snapped open full of determination. She would never let it be like the old times, where she would take their money and run. And she wouldn't let them push her aside. No, she would show them that she wasn't as worthless as they thought.

Well, there you have it, no da. (I love Chichiri from Fushigi Yuugi! I love all the characters in Fushigi Yugi!)

Zottie: I hope you like this chapter as much as you liked the last! Keep letting me know what you think!

Krya1: Wow. My blush has yet to fade. Thank you so much for your vote of confidence. This means that I'll have to work extra hard to keep meeting your standards . . . I have the tendency to slack off once I get a few chapters going. But if I keep getting reviews like this, I'll keep pumping them out! But thank you again!

Kendra Luehr: How could I not write F x S? So far there isn't any Faye and Spike romance, but I think there will be better hints of it coming up in the future. Thanks for your confidence boost!

BunnWw: I hope I updated soon enough. Keep letting me know what you think, I update faster the more boost of confidence I get! So thank you for yours!

BloodCrested: Thanks, I tried to make it so the start pulled people in. And keep looking in the next few days for the next chapter. Like I said, it's already finished it just needs to be revised. Keep letting me know what you think, it means the world to me that people like my work!

All right, well look in the next few days for the next chapter. They finally go after a bounty! Yay! Keep those reviews coming! And in the end . . . it all comes down to this.


	3. Chapter 2

AN: Yay! Finally a more exciting chapter. I am pretty happy with how this turned out, much better than the last chapter in my opinion. Like promised they finally go after a bounty!

The Last Fragments Of You

By: Alternative Therapy

Chapter Two

It had been decided after they had landed that the three of them would enter the ball separately, each connected by a communicator. Spike and Jet had pins attached to the lapels of their jackets and Faye's was on the back of her necklace. Upon her entrance she caught sight of Spike along the wall. He had refused to allow Jet to treat his burn but thanks to Faye's anger, she had burned a hole through Spike's yellow shirt.

Though his wrinkled pants and jacket remained, he had replaced the ungodly yellow shirt with a white crisp one. Faye was sure that Jet had to force Spike into it, due to the look of distaste that had been pasted on his face when Faye had managed to calm herself enough to come down from the isolation of the bridge.

She watched as Spike slowly brought, what looked like, a glass of brandy to his mouth and jumped when his voice rushed into his ear like he was standing right behind her. "You just going to stand there all night, or are you actually going to try and catch this bounty?" Faye shot him a withering look as he sipped from his glass and a rueful smirk crossed his lips. She wasn't sure if he knew that she had been staring at him or not, and in all probability he did, but he didn't say anything to acknowledge it, so she kept her mouth shut as well. And it was quite obvious he was still angry at her, the rough edge to his voice was all the evidence she really needed, and at the moment, she knew better than to try and test him.

Faye shot Spike another glare before she moved into the crowds and found the spot where she felt she would be the most comfortable; by the bar. When the bartender approached her she smiled sweetly and ordered a gin and tonic. It had been years since she had one and when she took a small sip she couldn't remember why. It was definitely something she could get used too again.

Faye scanned the room looking for the face that had been described to her. Middle aged, he was slowly going bald, so she had no doubt that the man's black hair might be similar to Jet's and brown eyes. Faye rolled her eyes and huffed. Oh no, they wouldn't have any troubles at all locating Boris Renner, especially when ever other fucking guy fit his description.

Faye frown as her earpiece crackled lightly but no voice echoed through it. She caught sight of Spike moving through the crowds, talking to a small brunette who was giving him a wide eyed stare. Faye arched an eyebrow as suddenly the girl nodded to him and took off, leaving Spike baffled. Faye slowly brought her drink to her lips again. "Always the lady's man, aren't you Spike-o?" Faye couldn't resist the jab at Spike's ego. Spike scanned the crowds searching for her and when he finally spotted her leaning delicately against the bar his eyes narrowed.

He opened his mouth to say something but their earpieces crackled heavily again, and Faye winced over the noise. Spike smoothly ran a hand through his sloppy hair, and in the same moment did a quick adjustment to his earpiece. Faye shook her head, Spike was anything but sloppy, careless about certain things, but she would never have thought him sloppy. Faye slowly brought her own hand up to push her own hair behind her ears and adjusted her own earpiece. Spike caught sight of this and when it crackled even louder than the other times, he sent a questioning look in her direction. It had to be Jet's communicator that was out of whack; Faye managed to tell Spike as much and merely shrugged when he didn't take his eyes off her. She could feel the butterflies slowly building in the pit of her stomach and she could feel her cheeks slowly warming.

Faye turned away quickly so Spike wouldn't notice the emotions that she was sure were plainly flittering across her face. She sipped her drink and scanned the room for Jet's tall figure, looking anywhere but the lean form of the man to her right. There was a deep ache rattling around in Faye's chest, and she wasn't about to open that part of herself up to Spike again, anytime soon. But thankfully Faye was saved from any further embarrassment as Jet's voice sprang through a haze of white noise.

"He's here." Jet's voice crackled loudly over their earpieces. Spike jumped and slammed into a stationary group of gossiping people, while Faye cursed as she banged heavily into the bar, spilling her drink down her arm. People gave her startled looks, and made faces of distaste, much like the one Spike had been forced to change. Now Faye really couldn't stop her face from turning red and she slowly lowered her head in an attempt to ignore the people. She brought her free hand up to rub her sore hip bone, the pressure of her fingers causing her pain and she knew in the morning there would be a rather large bruise. Faye jumped as the bartender tapped her lightly on the shoulder and offered her a slightly damp towel with a small smile and a wink. Faye stared at the man for several seconds, before taking the rag from him and wiping up her arm with a gracious smile.

Faye opened her mouth to thank the bartender, when Spike's rage filled voice cut into Faye's ear erasing anything that she was going to say. "Jesus Christ, Jet." Spike, after profusely apologizing to the group of woman, swore furiously, his voice was soft and distant sounding to Faye's ear. "Lower your goddamn voice." Faye turned to her partner to see his eyes locked on her, his eyes completely feral and savage. Faye's eyes widened when Spike gaze did not stay locked on her, but followed somebody to the other end of the bar. Faye turned to see the bartender had moved down away from her.

Faye felt a jolt run through her. Was Spike angry because another guy was paying attention to her? Or was it just her overactive imagination? Faye didn't have time to dwell on it as Jet's voice crackled through their earpieces again.

"He's coming from the south entrance." Jet's voice shorted out as quickly as it sounded and Faye finally caught sight of him standing under the stairwells in the shadows. Faye placed the towel back on the counter and when she turned to meet Spike's gaze she wasn't completely surprised that he had already disappeared into the crowds. Faye shook her head and turned to the south entrance, a hand reaching up to grip the back of her necklace. "All right, I'm on it." Faye moved away from the bar and moved through the crowds' eyes scanning for any signs of her bounty head. Raised voices started to spring up from the other end of the ball and Faye watched as the crowd began to converge on the spot. There was a soft crackle and she heard Jet curse.

"Hey, what the hell is wrong with that guy? He's lost it!" The sound of a person screaming up front caused Faye's gut to hitch in panic. Faye could only wonder what was happening up there. Had the bounty gone crazy and started lashing out at people?

It was Jet's frantic cries over their communicators that had Faye forcefully pushing through the crowds. "Shit, he's mad." Faye brought up her hand to hear better, but the rest of Jet's words were cut off by static. "Move, Faye! Move!" Faye had never heard Jet so panicked before. Faye drew her gun from the strap on her upper thigh and kept it low and out of sight, not intending to start a stampede for the door just yet. As Faye emerged at the edge of the crowd after lots of pushing and shoving, what greeted her eyes caused her to freeze.

Spike, with looking for all the world like he had lost it, was standing over a vaguely familiar man, eyes narrowed furiously, hand poised to strike. Faye looked across the circle to see Jet still trying to force his way through the crowds, and Faye knew that she should act, but she was frozen to her spot like the rest of the spectators, not exactly sure what had set Spike off upon this man.

Spike's breaths were heaving and his eyes were so dilated that Faye was sure that he wasn't truly seeing what he was doing. It was like he had lost himself, lost his last hold on sanity. "They killed her, did you know that? She loved them and they killed her for it!" Spike swallowed hard, his entire frame shaking. "And now they're trying to take her away from me too. But I won't let them." Faye shook her head; the thoughts of Julia overruled everything else in Spike's mind.

The man opened and closed his mouth but nothing came out, obviously too confused to even think of any kind of response. Faye took a half step forward after another barking growl from Jet filtered through her earpiece, but Spike's hardened voice halted her before she could move any further.

"I'm the only one who can tell her she sings off key." Faye wasn't sure if she had heard him correctly, the whole room was a murmur now. "No one will dare try to take her away from me." Spike's voice was low and dangerous. Faye felt unbidden sadness creep up into the back of her throat, tightening her vocal cords.

"I-I never told her that! I don't even know who you're talking about!" The man had suddenly worked up enough courage to speak, and stammered useless through his sentences. "P-please, I serve drinks here." Then it hit Faye where she had seen the man before. He had been the bartender who handed her the towel. Faye wasn't sure how he had managed to get up here before her, but Spike had chosen him for a victim towards his hate.

Faye took a deep breath and bowed her head. The thickness in her throat refused to recede but she forcefully pushed around it. "Spike." Her voice croaked out, not loud enough for her partner to hear her, she tried again. "Spike!" Spike jolted as Faye's voice reached his ears. He turned slowly to see her standing in her black dress, smiling softly at him through watery eyes. "Let him go." Her voice was soft, but the room had fallen into silence the moment she had called out to him. They would turn to anyone who could get control over the deranged man in their midst.

Spike slowly let go of the bartender, who quickly scrambled away, and turned to stare at his hands. Faye could see the tears that were building in his eyes but refusing to fall. He took several steps towards Faye and looked straight into her eyes. "Julia's really gone, isn't she Faye?" As those words spilled from Spike's slightly quivering mouth Faye realized the true burden of what she had taken on. Spike had yet to let go and move on from Julia's death; he had yet to accept it. Spike would have to learn to live a new life; one worthy of the one Julia had surrendered so he could live. Faye knew that Spike mental health wasn't what had to be questioned, oh no, it was how to convince him to move on and live when he thought he had nothing to live for. "Now they're trying to take away the last thing I have to live for, Faye. And I won't let them do that."

Faye watched in confusion as Spike turned to where he had left the bartender and scanned the people among the crowd. Jet was now at the crowds' edge watching the scene unfold with the rest of the stunned people. "What else are they trying to take away from you Spike?" Faye wasn't sure where she hard worked up the courage to ask that question or why this had happened here on a hunt, but she wasn't going to stop now. Not when this promised of making progress with the cold man. But Spike never got the chance to answer as a man in the crowd laughed heartily.

The man had turned to his friends with a rather cheeky grin on his face. "How psychotic do you have to be to have a break down here of all places?" Spike was now staring at that man, a wide grin splicing his features, all the anguish and sadness from mere seconds before gone as quickly as it had started.

Faye turned to get a look at the man who had so rudely interrupted them and saw why Spike was now grinning like a cat who had just caught a mouse. It was their bounty head. Felt bit back a groan and turned to Jet who had obviously concluded the same thing and was now stepping into the circle.

Spike took a few lazy steps towards the man; hands shoved in his pocket and let out a long shrill whistle. Their bounty head turned in surprise as Spike stopped a few feet ahead of him, and ran a hand through his hair. "Would a chicken shit of a bounty like you want to come out here and say that?"

Renner suddenly froze and turned to Spike his eyes wide with surprise. Renner turned to his friend who simply shrugged his shoulders like he hadn't heard what Spike said either. Renner turned back to Spike, and shifted his weight. "I'm sorry, were you addressing me?" His voice came out in an angry hiss and Faye had no doubt that he had heard what Spike had said.

Spike sighed dramatically and shook his head. "Yes, I was. And what I asked you was 'would a chicken shit of a bounty like you want to come out here and say that?' I mean, it wouldn't take long for me to kick you're scrawny little ass and haul it off to jail so I can get that bounty on your head." Faye groaned but didn't have time to really think of how she was going to scold Spike when they got back, because almost immediately Renner lunged at him.

Another man made as if he were going to charge Spike but Jet suddenly stepped into the picture, placing a solid punch to the man's jaw. Renner's man growled and was suddenly on Jet, but all his punches were easily blocked. Renner and Spike were exchanging blow for blow and they were so intensely liked in on each other that Spike never saw the man on the balcony.

Faye, who was watching to four men wrestle with each other, looked up in time to see a man draw a pistol out of his coat. The barrel of the pistol leveling off towards Spike, who was easily beating Renner bloody, but it was Faye's warning cry that forced the man to shoot at the unsuspecting Spike. Spike turned to look back in time as a bullet cracked the tile at his feet and a volley of shots quickly followed. Quickly releasing Renner, Spike went into a diving roll as the wild shots trailed behind him and started to chip away at the post he hid behind. Renner slowly stood, his nose dripping blood and waved a thanks to the man on the balcony, and made for the stairs.

The crowd suddenly became aware of what was happening as the bullet began to fly, and when Faye jumped out of their ranks with her gun raised up at the shooter in the balcony, it only fortified their fear and caused them to flee. In the mass panic, which allowed her some coverage from the shooter, a single bullet ripped from the barrel of Faye's gun and sank through the soft flesh of the man's stomach, the force of the impact sending his dead weight toppling back into the wall and almost hitting Renner in the process, splattering the white while in a red paint.

Faye turned to Spike's hiding place. "Shooter down!" She called and in the next instant, Spike was running for the stairs, but not before tipping a fake hat towards Faye's direction. Faye turned to see that Jet, and the man he had been grappling with, had been bulldozed over in the stampeding crowd, and she had forgotten about the friend Renner had been talking with.

Faye wasn't exactly sure how she was caught so unaware, but the sound of pounding footsteps caused her to turn in their direction, and before she could move around completely, a hard muscular body slammed into her. The man landed on top of her as they skid across the floor, and both lay shocked still for several seconds, apparently neither of them had expected such a hard impact. Faye had the air knocked out of her and her gun bounced from her grip as she slammed into the tile, skidding somewhere far out of her reach. Faye knew from the sound of the man's soft grunt that she had taken the brunt of the hard blow, her senses still hazy as the man's weight fully settled above her.

Faye took a couple of deep wheezing breaths and slowly opened her eyes never having realized that she had squeezed them tightly shut. As her blurred vision settled in on her attackers' broad form, she received a nasty back hand, her head rolling to the side at the impact.

"Settle down now, missy. Don't want to have to get nasty." A deep voice rumbled above her and her cheek stung furiously. The man had gotten his sense back quicker than she had, for two strong hands held her loosely by the wrists in a pathetic attempt to hold her down. Faye fought back a groan and rapidly blinked to clear the fuzz form her vision. They heavy set man was crouched over her, a mad grin about his face, and she could make barely make out the sounds of Jet's fight in the background.

"You just stay here with me and promise to be a good girl, while we finish off those freaks and maybe we'll let you go." The man gave a hearty laugh as he leaned closer to her and Faye scrunched her nose in disgust; his breath was disgusting.

To her delight, she noticed that the man had either forgotten that she still knew how to move her legs, or thought, that once he had her pinned, the fight would drain from her, for she still had free range with her body. Faye slowly maneuvered her knee so it would hit right around the area of his groin, and Faye couldn't help but smile widely up at her captor. "You know, the whole 'good girl' thing has never been my style." Faye brought her knee up with such force that she swore she heard something crunch.

This allowed her enough leeway to free her hands and forcefully shove the man off of her. But apparently, even in the amount of pain he was in, he wasn't going to allow her to get away from him that easily. He reached out and grabbed her shoulders, and as she shoved him, sent them both rolling. They rolled several times before they stopped. Faye's lithe form on top and with ease she was free of his grip. Faye gripped a fistful of his hair and smiled down at him as she repeatedly slammed his head into the tile. "Never." Slam. "Interrupt." Slam. "My." Slam. "Partner." Slam. "Again!" Slam. His struggles against her finally ceased as his head slammed into the floor for the final time with a loud crack, his breath coming in short and shallow gasps.

Faye sat back on her heels with a heavy sigh, a hand coming up to lightly rub her sore cheek, but the sounds of flesh hitting flesh drew her attention. She turned to see Jet struggling with the same man as before; only he was now slowly losing the battle. Without much thought, Faye grabbed the closest object to her and walked towards the pair. The man Jet was facing suddenly collapsed as a bottle shattered over the bigger man's head, raining down wine over the pair.

Jet, thought he was thoroughly covered in a red wine, sighed in relief as he sunk to the floor, and looked up to see Faye dropping the remains of the bottle from her hands and shaking her wine covered hands before giving up and wiping them across her already dirty silk dress. It was time she bought a new one anyway. "I'm going after Renner and Spike." Faye's heavy panting voice broke the quiet and she pointed to the man she had just knocked out. "You'll finish up down here?" She didn't even bother to wait for an answer and took off towards the stairs, slipping slightly over the wine covered floor. Jet just sighed and looked up, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand.

Faye quickly ran up the steps, and paused briefly when she saw the only exit was at the end of the narrow balcony. As Faye came up to the body of the man she had shot, she felt slightly sick. His muscles caused his body to twitch with false life, his eyes were rolled back and his neck was angled strangely against the wall. Faye grimaced and looked away, eyes set upon the door at the end of the balcony. Faye stepped over the man's fallen figure and forced herself not to look back. Faye moved as quickly as her heels would allow, stumbling every few steps over a large tear in her dress. Usually she would be put out by the thought of what she called her nightmare dress being ruined, but at the moment, all she could think of was getting the bounty in jail before she had a field day with Spike. Questioning him nonstop until she figured out why he had acted the way he had. But for the moment, they had a bounty to take care off.

She stepped through the doorway that lead to another set of stairs; a noise that sounded curiously like someone laughing caught Faye's attention and caused Faye's stomach to tighten. She moved slowly up the spiral staircase, her heels clanging loudly in her ears, no matter how lightly she put down her feet. She listened intently for any sign of a fight, but the only sound was what sounded like muffled laughter. It was only when she was feet away from the door did she realize how naked she felt without a gun. If Renner had managed to get the advantage over Spike, she definitely wouldn't stand much of a chance either.

When she finally reached the door to the roof she drew in a deep breath to work up some courage and she cautiously tapped the door open with her foot. Her eyes quickly surveyed the area directly to the right of the door, and when she didn't see anybody she slowly allowed the door to open inch by inch. Believing the cost was clear, Faye slowly stepped out onto the loose gravel and tar of the roof that was splattered in a rich reddish-brown color that Faye had now doubt was blood. The heavy metal door creaked open on its hinges and creaked to a stop just to give Faye the view of two men on the roof. The sight that caught Faye's eyes made her heart drop. And the laughing sound that had echoed down to her on the stair was now ringing true in her ears.

Faye felt a tremble of sadness run through her once again, and her knees growing weak and buckled as if shoved down by an ultimately heavier force. The rooftop gravel dug into her knees, but Faye didn't seem to feel it, instead she saw with clarity that what happened today had only been the tip of an iceberg that she would have to slowly chip away at. Faye couldn't tear her saddened eyes away Spike, who sat crouched above an unconscious Renner, feebly rocking back and forth on his heels and sobbing uncontrollably. The whispered name of a dead woman falling from his lips.

AN: Excuse the typos, it always seems that no matter how many times I look over something, there is always an abundance of misspellings and grammatical errors. Sorry! Anyway, I'm not sure when I'll update next, but hopefully this will keep you sedated long enough until I can get the next chapter out. See you next time!


	4. Chapter 3

_AN: Here we go you guys, the next chapter for you. Take a look at the bottom for longer author's notes, I won't keep you from reading up here! Enjoy!_

The Last Fragments of You

By Alternative Therapy

Chapter Three

Faye was the first to realize that the faint buzz in the distance was the wail of sirens and to realize that they were steadily growing louder. Faye figured that one of the many upper class Mercurians that had been attending the ball tonight, had the bright idea to call the police when the first shot cracked the air. Faye winced as she shifted her weight across the gravel of the roof, pain raging in her knees where the rocks had left indents on her pale skin. Shaking her head, Faye slowly forced herself to stand, her knees cracking at the shifting of weight as she slowly straightened and stretched back to rid the stiffness that had slowly built up in her back. Faye cast a weary glance over to where Spike sat still hunched over Renner, but the sobs that had been echoing eerily about the roof earlier had long since faded.

Faye brushed several lose strands of purple hair behind her ears that had fallen loose of the bun, sighing as she reasoned that she couldn't just walk away and leave Spike as he was. Rubbing the back of her neck in uncertainty, she took several unsteady steps to where Spike sat, lacking any confidence that she would be able to take on an overly emotional and overwrought Spike if he decided to lash out at the first person to wake him from his emotional fit. Faye stopped just behind him, eyes locked on the gently tremble that traveled up and down the length of his torso, not exactly sure how to proceed. She knew that she wasn't always the most delicate when it came to situations like this, but she definitely did not want to be on the receiving end of one of Spike's punches.

Faye took a deep breath, and held it as she slowly reached out, her slender fingers lightly cupping around on of Spike tense shoulders. As Spike's shoulder quivered again, Faye had to forcefully keep the grip on his shoulder, and gave it a gently squeeze as she softly questioned him. "Spike?" Even at such a low tone, Faye couldn't stop the single syllable from cracking with an emotional twinge and as her hand pressed more firmly into his shoulder, Spike visibly tensed. Faye felt a shuddering breath run it's course through Spike's muscles as he slowly stood, and turned to face her, his face masked once again by an intense calmness that she had seen too much of recently. It was only when Spike locked his intense mahogany gaze on her emerald one did she realized that Spike was waiting for her to speak. Faye jolted at the realization and quickly fumbled to spit out the first coherent sentence that crossed her mind. "So. . . you got Renner?"

Thought Faye couldn't help but flinch at the stupidity of her question, she couldn't help but be slightly surprised at how strong her voice sounded. Even in the darkness, Faye could just barely make out the features of Spike's face, and thought it was hard to see, there was no denying that there was a slight puffiness to his eyes. When Spike realized how intently she was staring at him, he looked away with a shake of his head and turned to stare at the bounty with raised eyebrows. "It would appear so, wouldn't it Faye?" It was Spike's regular nasty sarcastic tone that caught Faye completely off guard, while she had been expecting some form of his usual snide self, she had not been expecting it to be ringing clear in his voice.

Now Faye was even more uncertain as to how to approach Spike, and found herself floundering as he bent to fling Renner over his shoulder, but stopped when he thought better of it. He turned a curious glance in Faye's direction, and nodded down to their bounty. "Are you going to help me with him or are you just going to be your usual worthless self?" Faye pointedly ignored the stinging comment that had yet to leave her mind from earlier that night and walked over to Renner's other side. She looped her arm under Renner's armpit and helped Spike lift him off the ground.

Spike grunted as he adjusted his grip and motioned with his head for Faye to start walking towards the door. The pair easily pulled Renner large body along, every now and then a grunt of exertion slipping from their lips as the other stumbled over the uneven rooftop. As Faye slowly righted herself from one of her falls, she shot a sideways glance at Spike, quickly assessing his hardened features. Though his face was drawn tightly into its usual stoic state, Faye couldn't deny that his eyes were clouded over with a rich and intense emotion.

Faye grimaced at the thought of a long night ahead of her, and wondered whether Spike would ever come back around to being on peaceful terms with her. The pair paused at the door to spiral staircase, the frame not large enough to allow both to slide through at once. Spike grunted as he slowly pulled Renner's full weight onto him and gestured Faye forward. "Take his feet." Faye rolled her eyes at Spike's low snide tone but decided not to bother to voice a complaint as she stooped over to grab his feet. Faye hefted Renner's feet into her arms and cast a glance over her shoulder at Spike, who was balancing Renner's large bulk in his arms.

"Ready?" Faye's inquiry only got her a curt nod as a response, and she heaved a sigh as they started down the metal steps, her heels clomping loudly as the descended. It was a miracle that Spike hadn't heard her when she had been coming up; of course, the infuriating man had probably been too far divulged in his own sorrows to hear anything else. Faye frown as the sounds of Spike's sobbing was still fresh in her ears; it was definitely not something that she ever wanted to hear again.

When they stepped out onto the balcony, Faye had been a little hopeful that Jet had the decency to either remove or cover the dead, bloody body of the man she had shot, but was not totally surprised to see that it still lay crumpled up against the wall. Jet was down in the main hall talking to the police who had just arrived, gesturing wildly as he retold the story of what had happened. Jet had managed to handcuff all the surviving members of Renner's crew and haul them into the center of the main hall where they were now being escorted, one by one, out of the building and into police custody. Faye smiled as she saw the man that had hit her was hauled to his feet and roughly pushed forward, eyes completely dazed and the back of his head slightly bloody.

But Faye's happiness was short lived as she slowly lowered Renner's feet to the ground and moved back to take her share of Renner's weight, when she got her first glimpse of Spike's bedraggled face in the dim light of the hall. Though a bruised and scratched was a normal feature on Spike's angular face, the swelling about his eyes was much more vivid in this light. And now she could clearly see the red tint that had taken over the white of his eyes. Faye quickly adverted her gaze before Spike could catch the shock in her face, and took hold of Renner's free arm, forcefully pulled her gaze to look at anything except Spike's visage. Unfortunately, her eyes locked onto the body of the man she had shot.

Faye felt slightly sick as her eyes swept over the strange angle of the man's next and vaguely remembered how he had sagged firmly back into the wall, his blood raining down about him, and covering the wall like fresh paint. Faye turned her gaze to look down at Renner and idly noted that there were several specks of blood that had stained her pale blue shirt, no doubt from the nameless gunman when Renner had been running by him. Faye sighed and looked ahead again, eyes traveling down the length of the gunman's torso. Among the drying stains of blood there was one spot that was still richly moistened in the dark red color of fresh blood. Faye was sure that her bullet was still lodged within the soft flesh of his stomach, exactly where there was too much of the thick substance clotted together to dry quickly.

A sharp nudge of Spike's elbow in her side, jolted Faye out her of her reverie to realize that she had stopped to gap openly at the tangle of sinew, blood and bones that blocked their path. And if Spike agitated gaze was any hint, he was becoming impatient to start moving again, to move around the body that could have been his had she not taken this man's life in his place. "It's just a dead body, Faye."

The coldness that seeped from Spike's snarled tone indirectly caused Faye to shiver. It could have been Spike's body that she was gazing upon now; his body that was frozen in the pain looked as a bullet ripped through his torso for the rest of eternity. Faye now understood why the sight of the dead body bothered her so much; though she would never it admit it to anyone, especially Spike. Faye was very fearful of losing Spike, even though it appeared she already had. Faye adjusted her grip on Renner's arm and began to move with Spike, but she couldn't stop her eyes from wandering to the dead man one last time, his face forever frozen in a shocked pain that would haunt her for days to come. It seemed that Spike eyed the body too, and he let out a long low whistle. "Quite the lucky shot, Faye. If I remember correctly you got pretty much close to hitting Renner as well, but that would have been one of your usual slip ups, so it wouldn't have been that big of a deal if you had hit him, would it?"

Somewhere in the back of her mind Faye realized that Spike, with reasonable anger, was lashing out at her for happening upon him in one of his more vulnerable moments, and was baiting her to rise into an argument. Faye couldn't help but act as Spike had been expecting her too, as she sputtered indignantly at the brash insults that he had spat in her face. Faye bit into her tongue painfully to stop from releasing an already raging fire. She knew that when Spike finally pushed her too far, the end results wouldn't be pretty.

Faye was about to open her mouth and let him have a taste of her anger when Jet's booming voice called up to them. "Come on you two! Let's cash that guy in!" As her world expanded to involve more than the petty and snide remarks Spike cast her, Faye reined back any comments that were resting on the tip of her tongue. Eyeing Spike will a narrowed gaze, she tugged sharply on Renner's arm, before she moved to stomp down the flight of steps angrily, Spike grumbling beside her about how much he hated pets, kids, and women.

* * *

Faye leaned against the wall of the police station intently examining her nails while Spike sat sprawled across the steps staring up into the dark Mercury sky. Jet had taken their bounties in with the help of several officers, and the promise to put their share of the earning on their cards. The silence that had fallen over them was starting to play havoc on Faye's nerves.

She watched as Spike sparked a cigarette and took a small hit off it, leaning back onto the steps above him as though it were a comfortable position. Faye's eyes narrowed as he looked completely at ease with his surrounding, never having showed any signs of the emotions that had raged blindly on the roof. Jet had no idea that Spike had been an emotional wreck seconds before the came back into the hall. Faye sighed in annoyance and snorted loudly causing Spike to look back over his shoulder at her with a raised eyebrow, cigarette hanging limply off his lower lip. "What the hell is your problem tonight, Faye?"

Faye felt her eyebrow twitch in barely suppressed anger, but batted it down when it threatened to take over her more reasonable sense. Instead, she slowly straightened and clomped down the steps. Stopping on the step just above Spike's, Faye unceremoniously plopped onto the stairs, and ignored Spike's suspicious gaze. She leaned forward so her elbows rested comfortably on her knees, and a smile turned the corners of her lips skyward. "Shouldn't that be my question, Spike?"

Faye wasn't sure how Spike would take to such a direct question, but figured that he should at least know what was on her mind. To her utter surprise, Spike didn't freak out like she had expected him too. Instead, he just settled more firmly against the concrete beneath him and slowly offered her his cigarette. To say the least Faye was a little more than slightly flabbergasted at the range of emotions Spike had shown tonight, but had definitely not expected one of those emotions to be something close to what she could call companionable. But Faye managed to keep the shock and surprise from her face as Spike turned to survey her.

Faye casually reached out to take the cigarette from his hand, and Spike smirked softly as his eyes turned back to the stretch of grass that opened out in front of the police station. For the first time since Spike had come back, the pair sat in a comfortable, companionable silence, just enjoying the others company. Each time they passed the cigarette off, Faye swore that Spike's hand would linger on hers for a few seconds longer than necessary.

Faye blew some smoke out of the corner of her mouth, glad for once that she didn't have to put up with Spike's attitude, glad that she could relax a little. It was in this unspoken agreement of civility that Faye's eyes wandered down to her expensive shoes. Faye wasn't sure when they had gotten so scuffed up during the night, but it had certainly happened and left the expensive leather looking about as shabby as the cheap knock-offs.

Faye grumbled lightly and was shocked when Spike's large hand picked up one of the shredded hems of her dress and eyed it closely. There was a tightness in Spike's face as he allowed the thin stripe of fabric to slide from his fingers, and his eyes slowly traced up the dress until he met Faye's wide green eyes, shaking his head.

"Looks like you need a new dress." His voice was cold and Faye felt that she had missed something terribly important as a knot in the pit of her stomach clenched. She had a feeling that things were going to turn very bad, very quickly. "Word of advice, Faye, The next time you buy a dress; get one that makes you look less like a whore."

Faye felt a tremble of anger course through her and found herself coming very close to asking Spike what he considered Julia was, playing Vicious and him the way she did, but it took a considerable amount of resistance to stop herself. Faye closed her eyes and took a deep breath in hopes of pacifying her raging emotions. She took a final hit off the cigarette as she slowly stood before she tossed it roughly to the ground and grounded it into the cement. She blew the last bit of smoke from her mouth and stared down solemnly at Spike. "You're a real piece of work, you know that Spike?"

"Hey guys!" Jet was suddenly pushing open the doors to the police station waving their money card about before Spike had a chance to answer. Spike slowly stood and eyed Jet's frame as he walked slowly towards them, a large grin creasing his brow. "Turns out Renner's buddy's were worth a pretty woolong as well."

Though she was still furious with Spike, Faye couldn't help but crack a smile at Jet's beaming face. She moved to step forward but Spike's nimble fingers quickly grasp Faye's hand pulling her to a stop. Faye turned a cool glare to Spike and almost gasped at the intense emotion that had briefly flashed through Spike's eyes, something Faye couldn't quite place. "I said you dressed like a whore Faye. I never said you were one." At those words, Faye's throat went completely dry, her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock. She blinked several times not sure if she had heard him correctly.

It was when Spike gently squeezed her hand did Faye realized that the cold and indifferent man Spike had turned into had indeed said those words. She was frozen to her spot as Spike let go of her hand and walked up the steps to meet Jet, asking the question that had long since faded from Faye's parted lips. "So, how many more woolongs have been added to my card?"

Jet slapped Spike heartily on the back as Spike pocketed his card. "Double, Spike! Double!"

Faye shook her head thoroughly confused by Spike's antics. Jet turned to Faye and held her card up with w wink. "It's your lucky day, Faye!" Faye nodded dumbly in agreement and slowly hitched up her dress to make it easier to climb the steps. She softly pulled her card from Jet's grasp and cast a weary glance at Spike's nonplussed face.

Shaking her head, Faye turned and started back down the steps, once again hitching up the fabric of her dress. Spike was undeniably an enigma tonight, jumping from one emotion to another as if someone had flipped a switch on and off. "I need a drink." Faye grumbled and cast a look over her shoulder with a lazy wave to Spike and Jet. "Don't wait up for me, boys!"

* * *

Faye took a small sip of her brandy and looked into the glass glumly. She had been sitting in some seedy bar for over an hour slowly nursing the same glass. When she had first entered in her tattered dress and heels she had definitely gotten a lot of unwanted stares and attention. But that had ended rather quickly when the first guy that had grabbed her ass ended up on the floor clutching a bloody and probably broken nose. After that incident, most of the bar occupants knew enough to leave her alone.

Faye sighed as the bartender stopped in front of her again and eyed the single glass before her disdainfully. Faye easily caught his pointed look, as he moved by, but she really couldn't bring herself to care much if she wasn't drinking as much as the bartender would have liked, she was a paying customer so there wasn't much he could do about her. Her thoughts were solely tangled upon one man.

If Spike hadn't been confusing enough before tonight, than tonights escapades were definitely the cherry on top. He had so suddenly switched emotions and freely played about them that Faye wasn't sure if he had mastered her masks of emotional deception or if he was clinically insane. Either way, it irked Faye to no end.

Faye sighed wearily again as she thought back to the rooftop and the flood of tears. She could only wonder what had sparked that rampant emotion to break through Spike's aloof façade at that precise moment, but she didn't dare yet brooch the subject with Spike yet. Faye took another long gulp of brandy and cringed slightly at the burning aftertaste. Did she even dare bring this up with Jet?

The man that had been molded into a fatherly figure took to the role easily, always concerned for and of the welfare of his shipmates, of course, Faye had to consider that this was partly due to the fact that Jet probably wouldn't be able to keep the Bebop running without them, but that wasn't so much the point. You watched out for the people you cared about, and that's exactly what Jet had always done, whether he wanted too or not.

Everything had its limits though, and Faye knew for a fact that Spike's mental health wasn't to be questioned; no, it was more of a point of giving him an outlet to vent those pent up emotions, something to help him move on from Julia and Vicious. Though, as Faye understood very clearly - as she was still trying to come to terms with her own memories and the fact that everyone she had knew and loved was dead - that it might be a long road.

Faye didn't know exactly where to go or who to turn to for advice on the matter of Spike's feelings, but she would, at the very least, try to help Spike out as much as she could. Faye was rudely drawn from her thoughts as several fingers slowly slide up the skin of her exposed back. Faye felt her eyes twitch violently as she turned to face the man who had touched her. His hair and face were greasy looking and he had a smile to match. It was obvious that the man had not been in the bar when she had decked the first guy, as he seemed completely confident in his movements.

"Good evening, lovely flower." Faye arched an eyebrow at the comment and watched as he shifted unsteadily to lean in closer to her, the smell of whiskey drenching the humid air of his breath. "I can make all your dreams come true." Faye rolled her eyes and turned back to the counter to take a sip of her drink, she really hated guys like this.

"Go bother someone else." Faye drained the rest of her drink and was about to stand when one of the man's bony hands clasped tightly on her shoulder shoving her back down into her stead.

"Stay a while." Faye shuddered as the man's had delicately traced a circle on her upper arm, his hot breath blowing light in her ear.

"Listen asshole-" Anything else Faye was going to say was cut off as a familiar voice spoke over her.

"Didn't the lady tell you to fuck off?" In the next second the man was wrenched away from her, and tossed backwards. The man gave an indignant cry which was abruptly cut off as a fist slammed into the side of his face, sending him skidding across the floor.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Faye glanced over her shoulder but couldn't hold back the smile as Jet slide into the stool next to her, rapping his knuckles on the counter to get the bartenders attention.

"Sent Spike to watch over you – was kind of hoping you could drag more out of him – he saw you deck a guy and came back to the Bebop claiming you could watch over yourself." Jet caught Faye's hostile look and sighed. "I thought you could talk with him! I know perfectly well that you can take care of yourself!" Though Jet tried to say in with as much conviction as possible, Faye couldn't stop from sending him a sharp glare.

She rolled her eyes. "Gee thanks for your vote of confidence, Jet." Jet sent the same sharp glare back at Faye and ordered a scotch. The bartender was about to turn to leave when Faye stopped him. "Hey Barkeep, I need a bottle of vodka and two shot glasses."

Jet turned a surprised face in Faye's direction slowly shaking his head. "Hell no, Faye, there's no way I'm doing shots with you." Faye looked sent Jet a funny look as the bartender set down their drinks along with two empty shot glasses.

Faye shook her head and sighed. "I'm not asking you too. The second glass is for the lunkhead in the corner."

Jet blanched and turned to stare where Spike sat at one of the darkened tables near the back, a cigarette hanging limply from his mouth. "How long . . . where . . . how?" Jet stammered looking like he wanted to shoot himself.

Faye shrugged nonchalantly and kept her face as neutral as she could, but it was hard to fight the smile that threatened to over take her lips. "Right after you came in actually, slipped by as you tried to hid behind that newspaper." Faye filled the two shot glasses to the brim and raised one in Spike's direction, before playing it on the counter in front of the empty stool next to her.

"You knew I was here?" Jet's tone of disbelief caused Faye to send him a withering look, both eyebrows raised.

Faye didn't bother to look up as the greasy man was suddenly flung into the far wall and knocked out cold after he had attempted to charge Jet and Faye with a knife. Faye smiled, but offered no other acknowledgment as Spike slide onto the stool on her left, dusting off his hands. "Really Jet, what kind of idiot do you take me for? I haven't survived this long without being weary."

Spike carefully picked up his shot glass and downed it before he let out a coughing laugh at Faye's comment. "You weren't weary; you were just in a deep sleep." Faye glared at Spike before she downed her own shot glass. Spike took the liberty to pour both their glasses again once Faye set hers back on the counter, and then raised his glass to her in a silent salute before he downed it.

Faye sighed and looked at the liquid in her glass. "I thought I told you two not to wait up for me."

Jet sent Faye another look of disbelief. "Not saying anything against you, Faye, but you know how you get when you're drunk."

Faye growled and swung around to face Jet, anger radiating from her pore on her body. "Do I _look_ drunk, Jet?" Faye was vaguely aware of Spike watching them intently as he poured another shot. Jet's eyes went wide and he suddenly found the top of the bar very interesting. "Jet?" Faye's voice heightened in pitch. "Answer me."

"Um . . . no?" The uncertainty that plagued Jet's voice made Spike break out into peals of laughter, leaning so far back in his chair that he fell off it. Jet rolled his eyes at Spike's behavior and brought his scotch to his lips, casting uneasy eyes towards Faye. "All right, you're not drunk. At least, not quite as much as Spike." Jet amended shaking his head.

Faye lifted a slender eyebrow as she drained her shot glass with a flick of her wrist and stifled a cough. "Not yet at least." Faye murmured and turned in time to see Spike grabbing the entire bottle of vodka and began to chug it. "Hey! I'm paying for that!" Faye made a desperate grab for the bottle, but reached too far and got a face-full of floor.

Faye grumbled as she slowly rose up onto her knees, listening to Jet's howling laughter that accompanied Spike's relishing sigh as he finished off the vodka. Faye stiffly rose to her feet and sighed, patting Jet lightly on the back as she passed him on he way to the restroom. "I'll be right back." Jet nodded still chuckling and trying to catch his breath.

Faye grimaced at the poor fluorescent lighting that greeted her when she stumbled into the restroom. The harsh yellowed light seemed to bring out every flaw in her complexion and made her look slightly sickly. But as she stared into the mirror she got her first look at the hand shaped bruise that was slowly spreading across her right cheek. She touched her cheek gingerly and drew her had away as the pain sent a shock through her nerves. "Damn bounty head."

Faye sighed and looked away from her reflection, more than a little disgusted, and turned on the faucet. She allowed the water to run for a minute, before she dipped her hands into the cool stream of water, gathering it in her cupped hands and splashing it across her sore face. Spike's behavior made Faye's stomach clench, she didn't really like the idea of spending the next couple of months with an emotionally tripping man.

Faye turned off the faucet and stared at her dripping face in the mirror again and nodded with resolution. She would definitely tell Jet what had happened tonight on the roof, but certainly not anytime soon. At the moment Faye believed that Spike was very fragile, on the edge of plummeting into some great abyss. Okay, so maybe not something quite so dramatic, but she couldn't help but feel that a push in the wrong direction would definitely break him.

Faye pulled several sheets of paper towels out of the dispenser and lightly dabbed her face dry, lightly maneuvering around the bruise. As she went to toss the towels away, there was a shout from the opposite side of the door that caused Faye to pause. Faye leaned in closer to the door to listen intently and jumped when a loud thump sounded from the door. Faye cautiously walked over to the door, and slowly twisted the doorknob; barely jumping back in time as two large bulks came barreling into the ladies room. Faye let out a small shriek of surprise as Spike pushed forcefully passed Faye, fist raised to clobber the greasy man from earlier. Seconds later Jet came rushing in brushing passed Faye and shoving her into the skin.

"What the hell?" Faye's protesting groan caused Jet to turn to her with a sheepish grin as he looked wildly about the ladies restroom to see if there were any other ladies in it. Seeing that he was in the clear he turned his focus back to Spike and the other man.

"Sorry, Faye. That guy jumped Spike!" Jet was about to go into a more detailed explanation when Spike let out a guttural roar of pain.

"Goddamn it! He bit me! What are you, a fucking dog?" Spike pulled back his reddened teeth marked hand and slammed it into the side of the man's face. Jet suddenly rushed forward and snaked his arms about Spike's form.

Jet turned a desperate look back towards Faye. "Give me a hand, Faye!" With an exasperated sigh, Faye moved forward and pulled Spike into a tight bear hug, while Jet hauled the other guy to his feet and put him in a head lock. The instant Faye's arms wrapped about Spike's slim waist he settled down, but there was no denying that he was still quivering in barely suppressed anger.

"Faye, take Spike back to the Bebop. I'm going to take this guy to the police station. If there isn't a bounty on this head, they'll at least hold him for a few days." Faye nodded mutely and felt Spike tense and hold his breath as Jet pushed the greasy man passed them, but he didn't fight against Faye's tight hold.

Once Jet was gone, Faye loosened her hold on Spike lightly and lowered her head to his broad back wearily, a heavy sigh forming on her lips. "What a fucked up night." Spike didn't say anything, but instead almost relaxed completely never making any moves to dislodge Faye's grip on him, even when Faye leaned even more deeply into him, his masculine smell tremendously comforting.

Faye looked up at the sound of someone clearing their throats and blushed deeply when she suddenly realized how she and Spike looked. Faye let go of him almost immediately as if she had been burned, but she felt herself missing the comfort that came with holding him. "Um . . . excuse me." A small, pleasantly plump woman stood in the doorway looking rather uncomfortable. "I don't mean to interrupt or anything, but you're kind of in the ladies room and . . ." The woman trailed off as a half angry half perturbed Faye stepped around Spike.

"Interrupting what?" Faye's voice was a pitch higher than it normally was and suddenly squeaked into a halt as Spike gently grabbed hold of her hand.

Spike nodded lightly to the woman as he guided Faye out of the restroom. "We'll just get out of your way then." Faye could hear the tint of annoyance in Spike's voice, but it was about as noticeable as the slight slurring of his words, the only indication that he was drunk and only really audible if one was listening for it. Spike stopped by bar and swiped his card to pay for their drinks before once again taking Faye's hand in his and leading her out of the bar.

The mercury night air wasn't exactly chilly but Faye still shivered at the drastic change of temperature, though she wasn't exactly sure if it was from the shivers Spike caused. Faye gently pulled her hand from Spikes to wrap her arms about herself and Spike eyed her through hazy eyes before moving to take off his coat. "Cold?"

He slide his jacket around her shoulders and Faye just shook her head slightly, unable to look up to meet Spike's face. "No," her voice soft and she wasn't sure is Spike could even hear her. "Just terribly confused."

Spike lightly touched her shoulder and pulled her to a stop, his mahogany eyes looked on her watery green ones. "Confused? What do you have to be confused about?" There was a soft tenderness in his voice that pushed Faye over the edge. Talking with a drunk and emotional Spike was never a good thing, and it played miserably with her emotions.

Feeling on the point of boiling over she acted the only way that made any sense, she acted the way she did when she didn't know how to feel, how to act. Faye resorted to the easiest of all emotions: anger. "You, damn it! You confuse me! You're such a fucking emotional rollercoaster that I don't know how to act around you anymore, Spike!" Faye brought a hand up to her forehead as a headache began to build in her temples.

"One fucking minute you're angry with the world because you survived, the next fucking minute you're depressed because she didn't survive and now-"

Spike viciously cut her off, his own anger rising as he roughly took hold of her shoulder. "Fuck Faye, do you think I actually like being like this? Do you think this is how I want to live? Don't you think that I feel as confused as you do?" He was shouting and Faye found that she couldn't stop the angry roll of her eyes or stop herself as she leaned closer to Spike, standing up on her tip toes to gain some height. She hated the fact that he stood above her, hated that he had the advantage of leaning over her in their battle of wills.

"See, that's just it Spike! You don't talk to anyone about anything! So how the hell are you supposed to sort anything out if you don't confront the fucking problem? Jet and I want to help, Spike. But that's kind of hard to do when we don't have any fucking clue as to what happened!"

Spike tightened his hands on Faye's shoulders and shook her violently, eyes narrowed in anger and pain. "That's just it Faye. I loved Julia and now she's dead." The sentence seemed to drain any anger that either of them had. Spike loosened his hold on Faye's shoulders, but didn't release her and though his eyes were locked on hers, Faye wasn't exactly sure if he was truly seeing her, or the memories of another woman. "The one person I opened up to lied to me. Might not have been her intention, but . . .she told me she still cared for me . . ." Spike trailed off again.

Faye swallowed painfully and slowly brought one hand up to hastily wipe her tear stained cheeks. She wasn't sure when she had started crying, but she had, and she felt all her anger redirect towards Julia. Faye slowly cast her eyes away and found a focal point somewhere in the distance. "You need to let go of her, Spike. You need to move on."

Spike shook his head regretfully. "Letting go of her isn't the trouble, Faye." There was a slightly desperate tone to his voice. "I killed her Faye. I let her die." He paused, swallowing and sucking in a ragged breath. "The only reason she went looking for me was because she had no one else to turn too. Her life was shattering around her, and I was the only person who could stop it. She came with me because she had made a promise too so long ago, when I want to believe she did love me."

Faye opened and closed her mouth several times, not exactly sure what to say. Did Spike truly believe that Julia lost his love for him? Faye wasn't sure how long they stood there in the cool Mercury night, but when his hazy eyes refocused on her, Faye was sure that she saw something much more intense than the haze of his drunken stupor.

Spike swallowed and ran his fingers through some lose strands of Faye's hair, a saddened lopsided smile quirking on his lips. "But I promise I won't let that happen again." Faye felt her throat go dry again. "Never again." And then Faye's stomach furled into butterflies as Spike's lips claimed her own in a scalding and demanding kiss.

_AN: Yay! Finished . . . finally (well at least with this chapter! Sorry for the confusion, but this fic isn't quite yet out of steam). It took a while for me to figure out if I wanted it to end this chapter this way or not, but I figured I would give you guys a bit of a treat (I hope it's a treat :winks: but you never know with some people.) I kind of feel like I've gone in a totally different direction with this chapter and I'm not exactly sure if it's a good or bad thing. Let me know what you think! All right, I have a question for the experts . . . namely you guys! I've been told that the Escaflowne series is a very good anime and I should buy it right away. What do you guys think? Buy or not? Give me a shout about that or if there's anything else you want to ask me about you can reach me at: **Alternativetherapy815 at yahoo**!_

_Remember to review. Take it easy. And in the end . . . it all comes down to this._

Nusia: Thanks! I'm trucking along slowly. I hope it's still exciting. I feel like I suddenly took a swerve in a different direction with this chapter, but we'll see what you guys think. Take it easy!

Kyra1: You always managed to make me blush. . . and I don't blush very easily. I'm glad you like it so much. I do agree that Jet is a major player on the Bebop, and it would definitely not be the same without him. (winks). Anyway, we'll see how this chapter goes over with you guys, I kind of hoping I didn't rush things. See you next chapter!

Kendra Luehr: Wow. I mean wow. That was a really big compliment. I am red to my roots. I really don't believe that this fic is really that good, but damn, you make me feel like it's the best thing I've written in a while. (winks) I feel like I went a bit out of character with this chapter, but I kind of wanted to add a bit of a treat to the end of it. We'll see how much of a treat it turns out to be. Thanks for reviewing! Till next time.

CarolinaWhiteRose: Truthfully I have never been a big Julia fan either. There is nothing more than I would like to do than kick her into oblivion. (All right I lied, there are other things I'd like to do more but blasting Julia is in my top 500 things.) Although, without Julia would Spike really be the Spike we all know and love? Thanks for your review! Take it easy!

XHatori-SohmaX: LMAO. I updated as soon as I could! Please don't hurt me! What do you think of Spike now? I think he's still as confusing as hell, but I guess that's what Spike is confusing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Keep me informed on what you think! Till next chapter . . . maybe I'll have Faye slap Spike for you!

Redeve: Thank you, I never really thought my writing was that great. I'm glad that I make a good crazy Spike, though I think I might have gone a bit over the top with this chapter. Oh well. It was all for that ending. Anything for that ending. Well, at least I like it. I hope you do too. Thanks for reviewing! Take it easy.

Kuro-Ippikiookami21: I feel bad for Spike too, that's why I gave him a little treat at the end of this chapter! I'm not sure though that Faye feels the same way. We'll find out next chapter! Thanks for reviewing!

Zottie: You like me, you really like me! I hope that this keeps up to the standards I set with the other chapters, keep people on their toes. I don't necessarily feel like I totally accomplished that with this chapter, but you need a dulled down chapter every now and then to get to the good stuff right? Thanks for your vote of confidence!

Dannie-chan: But my next chapter isn't on the floor, silly. It's on the computer! (winks) You make me blush under your praise and I can only hope that this chapter has and will keep you drooling and sniffing around for the chapters to come. Thank you so much for your review, it means the world! Take it easy.


	5. Chapter 4

The Last Fragments of You

By Alternative Therapy

Chapter Four

It was three weeks later and Faye was still terribly confused. Thinking back on that night, she would admit that her actions towards Spike's kiss had indeed been a little rash. He had been drunk after all, and was coming off one of his, what Faye now called, "depression highs." She had come across him crying almost every other day for the passed three weeks, either when she was walking passed his room or when he thought he was the only person awake. Julia's name was always lingering on the tip of his tongue. So now, the more she thought about it, the worse she felt. Slapping Spike had probably not been the right way to react towards his misguided emotions.

Faye sighed once again, her fingers drumming lazily across the table top as she waited for Jet to return. Jet still appeared to be completely oblivious to the emotional colossus that was Spike, for up until now, she had yet to inform him of the incident on the roof. The only thing he had noticed about Spike was the small hand print bruise that had resided on his cheek for two weeks. When he asked Faye if she knew what happened, she replied that she had no clue.

And all the while Spike acted as though he had no memory of the incident. Faye could never be sure if he did remember it or not, for she when she would ask questions that clearly alluded to that moment, she wouldn't get the answers she was looking for, but there were moments when one of Spike's snide comments would hit her as odd, and cause her to wonder.

Faye grumbled softly as she glanced at the clock again. Leave it to Jet to be out shopping for more than three hours. "He's like a girl." Faye slumped forward resting her head on the counter. Once again Spike had vanished to his room soon after Jet left, and she didn't bother to even think about walking by, for she had no doubt that she would hear his cries. So Faye was left with nothing to do but sit and sulk while she waited for Jet. "So . . . bored!"

She wearily raised her head to look at the clock again, the cliché "a watched pot never boils" running amuck in her head. Deciding that she had nothing better to do, she slipped off the stool and turned to go to her room to take a nap when a loud shrill beep caused her to jump back. She fell into the stool she had just risen from with a loud crash.

"Ow!" Her long moan was interrupted as the sound echoed throughout the room again. Realizing that it was her communicator, Faye slowly picked herself up off the floor and suspiciously eyed the blinking red light that informed her of someone on the other end. When it rang for a third time Faye quickly picked it up and cut off the sound in the middle of a loud shrill by answering it.

"What?" She snapped viciously as she looked into the monitor that remained blank, even though a faint crackling, a shower of dusty white, gray, and black pixels, ran across it ever few seconds. "Hello?" She snapped again when she didn't receive an answer, and shook the hardware lightly.

Once again the crackling of the monitor was her only reply. Getting more than fairly annoyed, Faye shook the thing even more violently while yelling into it. "Look you little punk! You better answer me or you're going to be sorry!" This time the faint sound of what sounded like a person barking reached her ears. Faye froze, slightly perplexed. "Hello?" She was calm once again and she put the speaker right up to her ear to listen more intently.

"Faye-Faye!" A long, loud shriek echoed through the machine and right into Faye's ears accompanied once again by the sound of the person barking like a dog. Faye gave a startled cry as the communicator flew from her fingers and rattled to the floor while Faye's hand clutched her head by her ear, trying to nurse her sore eardrum.

Faye stared in disbelief at the piece of equipment not sure if she heard who she thought she had. Slowly she reached out and picked up the communicator again, slender hands cautiously pressing the button. "Ed?"

This time the loud reply wasn't as shocking. "Yes! Ed is Ed!" Faye groaned and slumped back into the stool bringing her hand up to massage the bridge of her nose.

"Hello, Ed." There was a lot of commotion from the other end followed by several large crashes. "Ed? Ed! What's going on, Ed?" Another long silence echoed in which Faye could hear Ed barking like a dog again and Faye became impatient. "Answer me Ed!"

"Whoa! Calm down there, Faye." Faye whipped her head around just as Spike walked into the room, and he looked as if he had just woken up, making Faye wonder if she had been wrong to think he had been crying. He looked about the room with a raised eyebrow. "Who are you screaming at, anyway?"

There was something in Spike's demeanor that caused Faye to pause, he was being a little too nice. But Faye didn't have time to ponder it as another loud crash echoed from the communicator and drew both their attentions. Spike walked over and leaned in close to Faye. "Is it Jet?"

Faye shook her head. "No, it's Ed."

Spike reeled back as if he had been smacked by Faye a second time. The same abused look passing over his face. "Ed?"

From the communicator another round of barking cut of Faye's reply. "Faye-Faye!" Faye looked intently at the machine and felt something clench in her chest. She knew something wasn't right.

"Ed? Ed! Where are you, Ed?" Faye couldn't keep the tinge of nervousness from her voice.

"Somewhere Ed does not belong!" Faye blinked at that, remembering vaguely that she had told Ed to go where she belonged before she had flown off to find her old house.

"Where is that Ed?" Faye jumped in surprise as Spike's voice caught her unaware, his tone seemed like he too had noticed that something wasn't right. There was another long pause and both Spike and Faye cast each other worried looks.

"I've been playing with some SEA RATS!" Ed yelled the last part and started to bark once again before she fell silent rather abruptly. "Uh-oh. Bye Bye Bop-Be!" The connection was gone as quickly as it had come.

Faye sighed and shook her head. "Not another damn problem." Spike didn't say anything but watched as Faye slowly stood. It was only when she was about to step out the door that he cleared his throat.

"Where are you going?" Spike's voice was cool but his eyes burned into her as he followed her every motions.

Faye paused in the doorway but didn't bother to turn back. Truthfully, she had been thankful that Spike had made himself scarce the last few weeks for each time she saw him, her lips burned in memory of that rough drunken kiss. "To find Edward."

Spike choked even though there was nothing in his mouth, coughing as he turned to face Faye. "You . . . don't even . . . know where . . . she is!" Spike managed to hack out his words, and tried to regulate his breathing.

Faye turned around and rolled her eyes. "Weren't you listening to what Ed said?" Faye waited patiently for Spike's coughing fit to fade.

He swallowed and spitefully shook his head. "Obviously not." Faye was shocked that Spike admitted to something like that, he usually was too hard headed to admit when he was wrong.

"She said she was playing wit h the Sea Rats." Faye stated slightly exasperated that she had to explain this to Spike when she didn't have much time.

Spike blinked several times. "Yeah, and?"

Faye groaned and ran a hand through her hair. "Sea Rats, Spike! Where do you find Sea Rats?" She rolled her eyes at Spike's blank expression. "She's one Ganymede, Spike. You know, where they used to raise Sea Rats or something like that?"

Spike spluttered. "Sure, I remember Jet saying something like that, but how in the world did you translate "playing with Sea Rats" to her being on Ganymede?"

Faye cast a dark look back at Spike. "Because you asked her where she was and the Sea Rats thing was her answer." Spike opened his mouth to protest the statement but Faye quickly continued. "Look. As far as I can tell, something isn't right with Edward. Right now, Ganymede is our best lead to where she is and I'm going to follow up on it."

Spike sighed and shook his head. "This is crazy."

"Well be that as it may, I'm going. You can stay here and wait for Jet." Though Faye really did worry for Ed, the prospect of being away from Spike for even a few hours was too enticing. "Now that's a plan! You wait for Jet and see if Ed calls again. I'll go on ahead to Ganymede. If you hear anything give me a buzz." Spike was about to say something, but Faye had already stepped out the door. The idea of being away from the emotional colossus sending her into a giddy state and she realized that she still had to talk to Jet about the roof incident, but that could always wait one more day. Especially when _she_ was on the brink of insanity herself, all it would take is two more shoves forward and she was sure she would be off the deep end.

Faye tried to prepare quickly, gathering as much loose ammo as she could find and double checking to make sure her gun was in working order before flinging her red jacket about her shoulders. She would just gas up her Red Tail and head on her way to Ganymede, maybe stopping at an asteroid stop to pick up some extra auxiliary.

Of course, Faye knew that it was never that easy. She really wasn't all that surprised to see Spike leaning casually against her ship, clutching the key in one hand and a cigarette delicately perched on his bottom lip. Oh no, things were never easy with the recently named emotional colossus around. Faye strolled forward as confidently as she could, Spike's dark eyes watching her approach, and folding her arms akimbo, she stopped short of Spike and her ship.

She tilted her head to the side with a sigh, bringing a hand up to run her fingers through her violet locks in an attempt to keep her anger down. "You really think you can stop me, Spike?"

Spike slowly reached up and pulled the cigarette from his lips, a soft smirk becoming lost in a puff of smoke. "I don't think I can, Faye. I _know_ I can." There was an elongated silence in which Faye smiled smartly as she fiddled with her golden bracelet while Spike took another hit off his cigarette before grinding it into the floor.

"I see." Faye's soft words were accompanied by her letting loose a large sigh. "What are you trying to prove, Spike?

Spike arched an eyebrow and slowly straightened. "Prove?"

Faye rolled her eyes at Spike' echoing comment. "Yes, Spike, prove. What do you get out of keeping me here? You heard Ed; you know something's not right. So what are you trying to prove?" Though her voice rose in something that was equal to her sounding angry, Faye felt more frustrated than anything else. Three weeks of being avoided, three weeks of being kept in the dark, three weeks of being confused and Faye was cracking beneath it. She vaguely realized that she was scared; scared of Spike, or was it scared of becoming as emotionally unhinged as him? Either way it really didn't matter, she was scared and frustrated and she wanted a few hours to sort out her thoughts on this confusing man.

"I'm not trying to prove anything, Faye. I just think it would be better to wait for Jet than to go running off to Ganymede when we're not even sure if Ed's there!" It was strange to hear Spike trying to be the voice of reason, when he was the poster boy of suicide attempts. He really didn't fit the clearheaded, cautious type in Faye's mind.

"You're starting to sound like Jet." Faye wasn't sure what about that comment bothered Spike so much, but he was suddenly striding at her, his eyes glowing murderously as he roughly grabbed her arm.

"What?" It was a snarl that made Faye flinch but she quickly concealed her fear as she wrenched her arm from his grip, and stepped back away from his larger bulk.

"What's wrong, Spike-o? You don't like the thought of being the cautious one?" At Faye's words, Spike visibly relaxed, though his face remained hardened.

"No." Spike's cold one word answer caused Faye's frustration to peek again. She had definitely had her fill of this emotional Spike to last her several years.

Faye moved around Spike and headed towards her Red Tail, not bothering to look back when she could feel his eyes trailing after her questioningly. It was only when his voice reached her ears did she dare pause. "Where are you going?"

Faye briefly wondered if Spike even remembered what he gold bracelet did, but as she pulled open the hatch to her ship she refrained from sending a snapping comment in his direction. He was being too much of a pain to mess with anymore than she already had today. "Out."

"Ah, I see. One more question though. How do you plan to leave when I have your bracelet as well?" The smugness in his voice was too hard to miss. Faye looked down to her wrist and jolted when she noticed her bracelet was gone. The scene of Spike grabbing her arm flashing vividly through her mind, slowly pulling off her bracelet when she was too flustered to tell what was happening and now she could only curse her stupidity.

She slammed the hatch shut and turned towards Spike with dark eyes. "Give it back." She held out her hand as she ground out the words, Spike erupting into deep chuckles. She strode forward, barely holding back from giving in to the want to give Spike a black eye.

"If I let you go to Ganymede, what would you do? Search the whole place top from bottom for her? And what if she's not even there? You will have wasted hours uselessly searching!" Faye couldn't decide which she hated more, the quiet Spike that had gone to great lengths to avoid her or the annoying Spike that, once he got scent of a mission or bounty, never left her alone.

"And if she's there than we're wasting time now! And you have to admit that the damn Sea Rats comment is the only thing we have to go on!" Faye felt triumphant that she would win this argument. There was nothing that Spike could do or say that could bring her down.

Spike smiled cruelly. "What are _you_ trying to prove, Faye?" Faye felt all her anger flushed from her system at his words. And he succeeded in bringing her down. She had not expected him to come back at her with her own methods. He smiled at her shocked expression and pressed on. "What do you get out of saving Edward?"

Anger rushed through ever nerve in her body and before she even realized what she was doing, she drew her hand back, poised to strike, and let her hand fly with every intention of slapping the man who controlled her rising emotions as if they had been his own. She was angry, angry because he made it seem like Edward had never been an important part of the Bebop, and angry because he seemed to think that she was the cold hearted bitch that she always portrayed.

As her hand reached striking distance, Spike lazily reached up to stop her flying hand, his gaze intently on hers, as he pulled her hand down. "I don't believe I deserve it this time." His low, ragged voice made Faye shiver and her anger increase tenfold as she viciously yanked her hand free.

"You do remember!" She accused her voice rising, her hold body trembling. "You rat bastard! You do remember!" Faye fought with herself for several seconds before she let her hand fly again, but Spike was once again ready for it, grinning like nothing was wrong in the world as he caught her hand. "Goddamn you!" Her shriek was cut short as Spike stepped closer to her and pinned her free hand against her side.

"Faye-" Spike tried to get a word in edgewise but Faye started to thrash wildly about, eyes blazing in undeterred fury.

"Let me go, Spike!" Her voice was a wild cry as she managed to break free only to have it be quickly pinned down again. "I won't let you do this to me!" Tears were now pouring down her cheeks as she continued her futile struggle, her emotions in turmoil. The thought again came back that Spike was just playing with her, using her to his own amusement and sent her reeling back into the confusion that she had been in for the last three weeks. "I won't let you do this to me, Spike! I swear if you don't let me go!" It was an empty threat, Faye knew, but she was willing to say anything to get away from the man before her.

Spike roughly backed her into the wall of the hangar, pushing his weight solidly against her still thrashing form. "Just calm down, Faye. Listen to me for once second, will ya? Son of a -" Spike's cry was cut off as he backed away from Faye to avoid being kneed. Faye glared menacingly at Spike as he tried to tighten his grip on her wrists that he still held pinned at her sides, while avoiding getting too close to her knees.

"Damn you, Spike." Faye thrashed about less as she realized how far fighting him had gotten her. Her upper body strength was minuscule compared to his, leaving her with the feeling of helplessness. But, feeling as though she had been giving a second chance as his grip lightly slightly, Faye took advantage of the situation. She managed to free one of her hands and cuffed Spike hard across his right cheek, her screams causing him to wince. "Damn you Spike for playing with me emotions! Damn you!"

"Playing with _your_ emotions?" Spike asked incredulously blinking as he stared into Faye's watery eyes. "You were the one that hit me!"

"How the hell did you expect me to react?" Faye bit out, managing to wrench one hand free. Faye lowered her hand to Spike side to try to shove him forcefully away, but Spike's hand was suddenly clamped over hers again yanking it back to her side.

"Not like a demented woman. Christ Faye, I thought you understood." Faye shrieked in outrage as Spike managed to pin her hand to her side again.

"Understood _what_ Spike? That you were drunk and mourning a dead woman? Oh, I understood that perfectly. I understood that you thought you could use me for a one night stand!" Faye wiggled about again, and wasn't shocked when Spike leveled his head with hers.

"Goddamn it, Faye! Just listen to me for once in your life!" Spike growled as Faye turned her eyes from his gaze.  
"No, I've listened plenty to your shit, Spike. I don't need to hear anymore of it! Let me go!" Faye pulled to try to free her hands again.

Spike growled. "Don't you ever shut up?"

"I'll scream till I'm hoarse if I feel like it! Now let go of me, damn you!" Faye snarled and watched as Spike opened his mouth to speak again but Faye quickly continued. "And don't you dare tell me to shut up! You can't make me shut up and I won't shut up until –" And Faye was hushed as Spike's lips were once again on hers.

Unlike the last time, his lips were soft and sensual, nothing like the scalding pressure of the last one, but still burning her lips and her stomach as a passion consumed them. And as Spike slowly released her wrists to wrap his arms about her waist, Faye melted into him. Her whole body writhed and shook beneath the gentle pressure of his tongue on hers. As the kiss deepened, Faye felt lost within the emotions, the world about her hazy compared to the passion that was starting to burn her lips and lungs.

She was vaguely aware that she had thrown her arms about his neck, fingers threaded through his roguishly sloppy hair. Her existence seemed to be limited to the emotions that coursed heatedly between them, her body conforming to his, his touch wrinkling her skin with goose flesh, and she wallowed thickly in the passion between them.

It was only when an unnerving feeling twanged throughout her body at one of Spike's caresses that Faye was finally brought back to reality. As Spike slowly broke the kiss, eyes over cast with deep emotions that Faye realized that the sharp twang had been one of need. Faye watched as Spike's face slowly hardened and he blinked once, twice and all remnants of the emotions that had once flooded those mahogany eyes were gone as quickly as they had come.

Faye took a ragged breath and took a step back away from Spike, not sure what to make of what had just happened. Spike just smiled ruefully and pulled her to him. "Well, that effectively shut you up." And before Faye could reply captured her lips in a chaste kiss and blindly led her out into the hall. They stopped in front of the bathroom and Faye was so dizzy with the emotions that had clouded her head that she didn't realize what was happening before it was too late.

Faye looked down in surprise as Spike handcuffed her to him, a weak smile crossing his face. "What do you think you're doing?" He winced at her shrill pitch as she pulled hard against the metal cuff.

"Hey, cut it out! You're chained to me remember!" Spike grunted before he pulled back twice as hard and sent Faye sprawling forward into his arms.

Faye jerked back, peddling backwards to get as far away from Spike as possible. "Get off!" Faye looked over just as Spike turned away from her, amusement tugging at the corner of his lips. Faye cursed as she he was enjoying this way too much.

"You're the one that fell into me." Spike's reply was lilted in amusement and Faye couldn't help but round on him, gesturing wildly to their arms.

"But you're the one who did this. Now I demand that you take this off immediately unless you want things to get ugly!" Faye struggled to keep her voice calm, but as her mood slowly decreased Spike seemed to find it funnier and funnier. Faye moodily tried to cross her arms over her chest but found that her left arm only made it half way, if she tugged harder she could fold her arms over each other, but that also meant bringing Spike closer.

"Ugly huh?" Spike didn't seem to understand how close she was to exploding. But the smile faded as he yawned widely bringing his cuffed right arm up to his mouth, and stretching back. Faye was along for the ride and once again found herself flung against Spike, whether she wanted to be or not. "Sleep sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?"

Faye's went ridged with the suggestion and sent an evil glare Spike's way. "Oh no, I'm not sitting in some chair while you sleep, you . . . you lunkhead! I"

Spike began to walk to his room, and no matter how hard Faye pulled against him, he easily over powered her. Spike refrained from answering as he opened the door to his room. Spike kicked off his shoes as he plunked down on the bed, Faye standing above him glowering. "You just going to stand there?"

Faye raised an eyebrow and held her chained hand up. "What else am I supposed to do?" Faye watched Spike heave a sigh as he slowly laid back, ducking under the covers and forcing Faye to kneel beside the bed in the most uncomfortable position yet. "Oh no, I won't let you sleep if I have to sit here like this!"

Faye wasn't sure what to expect, but she was quickly reaching her limit. Sure, she wasn't as mad at him when they had first started talking, how could she be after Spike had kissed her like that? But that didn't mean he had the right to play her like this, force her to do what he wanted her to do! Before Faye realized what was happening, spike grabbed her around the waist and yanked her off her feet, and pulled her onto the bed with him where she landed with a soft grunt of surprise.

She started to squirm immediately but he held her tightly around the waist, her back pulled up against his hard chest. "Just what do you think you're doing?" Spike hardly heard the wail as her elbow hit into his stomach; he bit back a groaned and forcefully wrapped his arms about her.

"Fuck. Just go to sleep Faye. I'll discuss everything with you once Jet gets back. But for now, I'm not letting you go anywhere and I know if I let you go, the first thing you'll do is go to Ganymede."  
But Faye wasn't listening. Her arms and legs were flailing left and right as she strained to free herself of his muscular hold. "Why do you always have to be such an obnoxious bastard?" Spike chuckled at her question, and for some reason, Faye found herself grinning.

"Just the way I am, Faye." Spike's answer caused Faye to huff, but she settled knowing that she had no way of breaking free, at least until he fell asleep. Spike waited until Faye had stopped all movements before he allowed his embrace to loosen.

"I hate you." Though Faye's voice was full of conviction, Spike had a feeling that it wasn't quite so. Faye stiffened as he felt Spike lean over her to see her face.

"And I adore you." And in one sweeping motion, he yanked the sheets out from underneath her, his other arm still pinning her to his chest before he threw the sheet over her. No more words were spoken between the two, and Faye remained crushed to Spike's chest, surprised by how comfortable the position was. Faye lay there wide awake as Spike's breathing slowly became shallow and even. She would give it another half hour before she tried to escape, Edwards strange message still fresh in her mind. But she found that she couldn't help but linger on the way Spike had acted towards her today.

Faye knew that a few kisses didn't always mean much. She had received a lot of kisses from guys who were just looking to get a one night stand. But she had never felt such passion in those kisses, or felt such a violent twang of need in a kiss before. But Faye couldn't push the thoughts of Julia from her mind and couldn't help but wonder if Spike was being truthful that night when he had said that letting her go wasn't the problem. She knew the raw emotion that came with loving and losing someone, she had felt it when she first thought Whitney had died.

Her feeling of remorse was so great that even the thought of it now still caused her stomach to ache and her heart to clench painfully even when she knew he was still alive. Faye shivered involuntarily and jumped slightly when Spike's arms tightened about her lithe frame and drew her closer to him. No, she wouldn't put it passed Spike that the need for her in his kisses were actually his need for Julia, his want for Julia. The memory of his eyes when he had come back to the Bebop after Julia's death still haunted her. They were void of any emotion, cold and distant, but there weren't any tears, just a pang of regret that continuously fluttered across them.

Faye sighed as she realized she was still back to square one. At least until she figured out what had happened between Spike and Julia the last time they met. But she knew that Spike probably wouldn't be willing to tear open old wounds like that so soon. She knew she hadn't been willing too. So, even though Spike had started to open up to her tonight, she still couldn't help the feeling that she was still coming in second to the dead woman who had won his heart so long ago.

_AN: There you have it folks, the next installment of The Last Fragments of You. (Grins) Edward makes the scene! Yay Edward! 'Bout time she had her first appearance. So what do you think? Good, bad, never write again? I believe it's that last one. Took me a while to get this chapter out. (Frowns) I feel this whole chapter is pretty weak… grr. Don't like it, don't like it at all. Maybe I'll just stop writing for a while… Okay I wouldn't go that far, but still. Anywho. Hope you enjoyed this. And thanks to all those who gave me their opinions on Escaflowne! I've decided to rent it first! Keep an eye out for the next chapter! (Well hopefully if I start liking my own writing again). See you next time! And in the end . . . it all comes down to this._

XHatori-SohmaX: I'm glad the last chapter still rocked your socks! (Winks) I hope that this is still as interesting. Like I said in my notes, I didn't enjoy this chapter as much as the others… we'll see how it goes over with you guys. Thanks for your review and keep letting me know what you think! Till next time! Giddy up!

Angels Heart 1622: I agree that I've made Spike into a bit of a nut… I do feel though that I made it seem like it's sudden "Oh here's Faye!" you know, but I'm kinda hoping to remedy that in the next few chapters… beware I believe that Spike might sling back into his moody self very soon… Take it easy!

xDianaMoonx: It will definitely be a roller coaster from here on out, Spike I believe is about to slip back into a darker mood pretty quickly here, it all begins with Ed's adventures. We'll see how it turns out thought. Thank you! I believe that Faye is one of the most powerful characters on Cowboy Bebop… of course, that's just my own personal opinion, so. . . wow, that's a big compliment. I really don't feel that my writing is all that great, but thank you for saying that, though I believe there are many recent CB fics out there that are better than mine, makes me feel more confident in my writing. And a final thanks for your take on Escaflowne! It was very helpful! Take it easy!

Zottie: I can't believe that you're still hanging on! I scare most people away after the first few chapters! Again I feel like this chapter could have been better, it feels like it's lacking somewhere… not one of my better chapters, but Edward came back, so that's always a good thing, isn't it? Anyway, as always you brighten my life with your wonderful reviews! So thanks you! Take it easy!

animecatdragon: (sorry I tried to write your name the right way... I'm not sure how it will come out though!)Wow. I mean wow. I am speechless. I haven't really thought that my last couple of chapters have been very good, especially with this chapter, I feel like it's not meeting up to my own personal standards, which in turn probably brings it down in yours. But thank you, reviews like this always boost my confidence and hence, another chapter is always produced. Thanks for your opinions on Escaflowne, help me make my decision. And look! This time I didn't end with Finished! I learned my lesson… when there are more chapters to come it is never a good thing to say finished (winks) Thanks for your review! Till next time!

Kuro-Ippikiookami21: Sorry about the cussing… I tend to get carried away (Blushes shamelessly). Especially if I've had a problem at work… which always undoubtedly means I'll be swearing in my writing… since that's were (recently) I do most of my writing. Hoe! Anyways, thanks for reviewing! You always boost my confidence! And thank you for your opinion on Escaflowne! Take it easy!

Shoal: So you liked it? I'm so glad! I write for my readers… okay and a lot of the time for me. But I'm glad that so many people like this. Makes me all smiles! Thank you! It is reviews like yours that always brighten my day! Till next time!

CarolinaWhite Rose: I'm glad you like it! I made this chapter even more SxF than the last. But, I am afraid to say that things won't be so smooth, but hey there's no Julia so what do we really have to worry about right? Right. Take it easy! See you next chapter!

Oyuki: Cliffhangers are always the way to go, keeps the readers coming back for more! (winks). Hopefully though, this was a good way to charge into the next chapter. Hm. But Edward has made a first speaking appearance! (Grins) Thanks for you opinions on Escaflowne it was very helpful! Till next time!

Kendra Luehr: I'm all smiles! How did I know that you would like that chapter? I'm not sure how I did on this chapter, I'm kinda new at writing Spike and Faye… but I guess it can't really be that much different from writing anyone else, but I feel there needs to be a sort of spark of anger always lingering between them. (Winks) anywho. Thank you again, you always manage to make me red to my roots. Anyways, till next time!

Breezy1028: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. And I do promise there is more to come, stuff that is much better than this chapter… hopefully… (Winks) take it easy!

Dannie-Chan: Ah! I always love your reviews! They make me all smiles! You called me a goddess! You've managed to make me into a babbling fool! I am completely speechless. And I feel like I have let you guys down with this chapter… I can only beg humbly for forgiveness and hope the next chapter will be better. (Bows) But, just to let you know your praise makes my world go round and at this moment there is nothing more than I would like to do than shout at the top of my lungs:

"Pop Pop Funky Toes!"

LMAO! That was fun! See you around next chapter I hope? Take it easy!

Kyra1: I am always on the lookout for your reviews because they always boost me, and make me want to write… of course, I think your writing has slowed me down… I can't stop reading your works! But I am glad you like my last chapter. LOL, but thank you for your reviews… they always do make me smile. (I think I'm just glad that I'm not the only one enjoying this story… I always have the fear that I am).

And finally, I am afraid that I have to be the bearer of bad news. Though the Braves are a strong team, if they come up against my boys… The White Sox… it is lights out for them… season over. (Winks) Take it easy! And update soon! I beg you!

Firevixen73: Thank you! It's always my pleasure to update when people think my work is good! Although… it might start to be problem when school starts full time again… but I'll inform everybody next update about that. (Winks) Take it easy.


	6. Chapter 5

_An: Just a little note, there is some French in this… all translations are at the bottom… let me know (because I am sure there are going to be more chapters with French in it to come) if you would like the translations at the bottom, or right next to the french… I just tend to think it make the story less choppy this way but… I leave it to my readers to decide since I can understand it. Anyways, Enjoy! _

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop

The Last Fragments of You

By Alternative Therapy

Chapter Five

Faye had never been known for her patience or delicacy when it came to dealing with problems. No, she was the type of woman to rush head first into things if it offered her any sort of reward. In this way, she could vaguely relate herself to Spike, the poster-boy of reckless endangerment, who even in his sleep, managed to put his self in a situation close to danger - that was if he couldn't find a way to control his roaming hand. Faye's eyebrow ticked maddeningly, Spike's hand, on several occasions had come awfully close to grabbing her chest and she would have liked to do nothing more but chop it off. So all in all, Faye believed that it was a miracle that she had been able to command both patience and delicacy in the same night, especially with Spike around.

Spike's shallow even breathing had some time ago turned into a light snoring, and Faye, with Spike's chest firmly pressed against her back, felt the distinct rumble that echoed deep from within his lungs each time he snored. And that, if anything, was a sure sign that he was asleep. But it bothered Faye that it had only taken him ten minutes to drift into unconsciousness; leaving her to wonder how deeply asleep the man next to her really was, so she had laid there an for another twenty minutes, harshly pressing the limits of her patience until she felt that she would burst.

Her limit burst when Spike let out one long and gargling snore, the sound tearing away the last of her sanity that was barely staying glued together. Faye had to be delicate with the next part, not wanting to wake Spike with her movements. So it was slow and cautiously that she slowly lifted her free, uncuffed hand into her hair and pulled a brown bobby pin from beneath her head band. Faye hissed lightly at the sharp tug on her scalp as several strands of violet hair were caught in a grapple with the pin, and froze with tension as Spike grumbled, his arm tightening briefly about her waist before letting out another soft snore. Faye sighed in relief and slowly spun the pin about on her slender fingers, eyeing it to see how far she would have to bend it to create the right angle to fit into the keyhole of the handcuffs.

Handcuffs were never really that hard to get out of, especially with a bobby pin. Just bend one of the ends in the right angle, a little twist here, a little pressure there, and presto she was free. Spike's hand twitched to life again, and Faye bit down hard on her tongue to keep from screaming at him, as he slinked even closer to dangerous territory. She had already sworn to make Spiegel pay for this, but it might happen sooner than she had intended if she didn't hurry up and get free. Faye resisted the urge to elbow Spike in the gut and instead took several deep breaths trying to settle her anger, thinking of the two words that were definitely not her: patience and delicacy.

Faye pondered the bobby pin for several seconds before pressing on the ends hard into the mattress, using the pressure of her weight against one of the springs in the bed to get the tip in the precise angle. Faye smiled as slowly, under the force of her weight, the tip of the pin because to bend. As the tip came close to the desired angle, Spike let out a loud snarling snore, causing Faye to jump at the unexpected sound in her ear and stiffen with caution, pausing in her activities. Realizing that she was in no immediate danger of being discovered, her eyes narrowed angrily and shot a glare back at the man who held her captive. "Leave it to a lunkhead to sleep all day." She turned back to her work as she applied a more anger induced pressure, the end of the pin finally giving in to her demands. "Aha!"

Faye brought the bobby pin up to examine the angle, pleasure sparking in her eyes as she moved to unlock herself. But her whispered joy was short lived as Spike decided at that moment to roll onto his back, unintentionally pulling Faye with him, and in her surprise the bobby pin was sent flying from her fingertips as she rolled after Spike. Faye cursed Spike and the sharp pain that was quivering in her handcuffed wrist, vaguely registering the soft tink of her new tool hitting the floor beside the bed. Faye groaned and lowered her head back onto the pillow, her left arm practically pinned against her stomach due to her unwanted attachment to Spike, effectively stopping her from rolling over and reaching down to pick up the pin.

Faye surveyed her situation with a critical eye and sighed. "Shit." Faye turned and sent a hard glare at Spike, roughly yanking her right arm free from beneath her body before bringing it to her head to massage her temples, and lay there sulking wondering what else she could do. Faye didn't like the prospect of rolling onto her stomach and searching blindly for the pin, for that would mean she would first have to roll into Spike, actually touch the infuriating man, before she was able to get onto her stomach. She grimaced at the thought of him waking and finding her reaching for her only hope of escape. She had a feeling that he wouldn't look to kindly on it. But as Faye glanced about her the more she realized that it was about her only chance; she didn't have any other choices.

With great care, Faye drew and held her breath as she slowly turned onto her side, her face turned to Spike whose head was tilted to the side mouth hanging wide open and a line of drool dripping down from his bottom lip and onto the pillow. The sheets on the bed had slowly woven about her lithe frame, twisting and locking her legs up as if it were a snake, slowly her movements and greatly risking waking Spike. Faye scrunched up her nose as she tired to kick the sheets off her legs, her motions making Spike sway with the mattress. Before Faye could realize what was happening, Spike reached out towards her, grabbed the top of the sheets and gave it a violent yank.

Faye gave a yelp of surprise as she was suddenly twisting with the sheets, finding herself face down on the mattress and sprawled across Spike's lanky frame in shock. Faye blinked dumbly for several seconds until she felt Spike's muscular arm come around her again and pinned her chest to his, an amused smile dappling his slumber ridden features. Faye shook the fuzz of confusion from her head as she slowly turned to face Spike, her mouth twitching in a displeasured smirk. "You're messing with me, aren't you?" Faye whispered close to Spike's ear, the emotions that skittered briefly across his face leaving Faye to believe that the man that held her wasn't asleep. Faye raised an eyebrow as her only response who a soft murmuring snore.

Faye sighed and leaned her head into his shoulder, an idea creeping into her head as she decided that if Spike was going to play dirty than she would return the favor. Faye turned to face Spike again, leaning forward so the warm rush of her breath was right against his neck and she pursed her lips to get the exact tone that she used to seduce so many bounties. "Hey, Spike-o. Julia seemed like the type of girl who liked to get a little. . . kinky. A lot like me. So tell me, was she too much for you to handle? Did you always pretend to be asleep with her too?"

Faye felt a smile creep onto her face as she closed her eyes and waited for the angry outburst that she knew that would be coming, but to her utter surprise the worst that she received was another gargling snore. Faye blinked in disbelief turning to stare at the man who seemed impervious to anything she was doing. Faye shook her head, sighing half in relief and half in exasperation wondering how much sleep Spike had actually gotten over the passed few weeks; Memories of his sobbing coming through the walls ringing much too desperately on her mind. Faye tried to shrug off any thoughts of the screams that she had heard from him, grateful that he was actually sleeping peacefully for once in a while and not ruining her ears with his anguished screams.

Faye turned from those thoughts as she turned her head around to see that she had succeeded in doing what she had original wanted, or at least Spike had succeeded in doing it for her. Pressing her face into the soft fabric of the sheets, Faye reached down over the bulky curve of the mattress until her fingertips brushed against the cool metal of the floor.

Slowly she ran her fingers over the floor, one eye closed in concentration as she blindly searched for the object that held the weight of her freedom. She smiled victoriously as her fingers hit a small bump, and carefully sought to pick up the object. Leaning on her elbow, Faye pulled the bobby pin off the floor, ignoring the guttural snores that came from her side as she once again spun the bobby pin between her slender, manicured fingers. Delicacy was now the name of what she had to be. Faye slowly pulled her left arm closer to her, watching as Spike's arm slowly moved with hers, falling lightly onto his chest as she brought her own arm to her side.

Moving slowly, Faye inserted the end of the bobby pin into the keyhole, twisting it about until she heard a faint scratch different from the others, with a growing smile she added a little pressure and pushed it upwards. The cuff suddenly came undone, falling from her wrist and landing on Spike's shoulder. Faye froze wondering if the slightly warmed metal was enough to wake Spike. When she felt it was safe to move, Faye cautiously lifted her weight off Spike, rolling so she was closer to the edge of the bed. Just as she was about to stand, the bed next to her shifted and she looked behind her just in time to see Spike's larger bulk rolling towards her.

Faye panicked and in a last attempt to remain free rolled over again and fell off the bed hitting the floor with a soft "_oof_". Faye groaned at her hard landing and was about to stand up with Spike's right hand swung over the side of the bed, the now dangling cuff whacking Faye in the face. "Aw, Fuck!" Faye brought her red wrist up to cover her nose, and sent a glare at the sleeping Spike who was now laying face down where Faye had been seconds ago. "Damn it." Faye rubbed her painful nose, swatting the dangling cuff away from her. The cuff hit the leg to the bed with a loud clang, and Faye quickly caught it fearful that the noise would awake Spike.

But as Faye sat there holding the object, a small idea began to seep into her brain. With a wicked smile, Faye opened the cuff as wide as it could go, before she locked it about the leg of the bed, and secured it with an evil smile. Faye slowly stood up, massaging her swore abused wrist as she looked down at Spike, brushing off the back of her shorts. "I believe it's time for a little payback, Spike-o."

Faye placed the cap back on her lipstick and stepped back to critically eye her masterpiece, a wide smile growing about her lips. Spike's tan complexion was now a pasty crème color, with dark rosy cheeks, her light purple eye shadow was dark on his lids, black eyeliner and mascara caked around his eyes and deep rouge lips. To top it all off, Faye had tied small pink ribbons, in his mop of green hair as the final touch. Though the colors were rich and dark, Faye had done her best to get her strokes light, not wanting to wake the lanky bounty hunter before she had finished. Now she sat in front of her partner, who was heavily laden with make-up and couldn't help but feel giddy. "Payback's a bitch, isn't it Spike-o?"

Faye sighed as she stepped back to admire her work, to see if she had missed anything major. "Just wait until Jet gets back. You'll be quite the sight." Faye told him softly, but her playful manner was slowly dropping as she closely watched new emotions flitter across his face. Faye pulled her jacket more firmly about her shoulders, suddenly feeling down. Edward was waiting for her she knew, but there was something about the way Spike looked that made her pause. She shook her head ruefully as she watched his slumber, a lump building in her stomach. "You really are an ass, Spike. You never think about other peoples feelings. You really think that I wanted you to kiss me?" Faye looked down at him as though she had expected him to answer. With a little laughing sigh Faye brought a hand to the bridge of her nose. "I can't believe I really did." Faye looked towards the wall eyes focused elsewhere. "I did. But . . . not you. You're not who you used to be."

Faye turned back to Spike and watched him sleep for several seconds, acutely aware that he was actually resting peacefully for the first time in weeks. No matter how many times she tried to tell herself that she really didn't care what Spike thought or did, there was no denying that he held a great weight over her. And to see him suffering like this was definitely not good on her nerves. "Where did we go wrong?" Her voice was stronger but she was still lost in thought, eyes turning to the ceiling fan that rotated slowly, causing her hair to flutter softly against her cheeks. "When did I become so dependant on your feelings?" She turned to look back down to Spike's heavily made up face and couldn't help the amused smile which faded as quickly as it had come.

Faye took a few steps towards Spike, and lowered her hand to brush away the few strands of hair that always feel disarmingly into his eyes. She leaned forward, her lips softly brushing against his ear, a worn smile pulling at her face. "I hate to love you, Spike. It hurts and I hate it." Spike, as he had for the passed hour, remained unaware of Faye's words, but moved his head closer to her soft caresses. Faye softly kissed his temple before she stood, shaking her head to rid the warm feeling that was rapidly unfurling in her stomach.

Faye took a few steps to the door, not exactly sure why she was saying what she was, but knowing that if she held it in any longer, she would burst. With a deep breath Faye was about to move out the door when Spike suddenly shifted. "Fhh-" Faye turned toward the sound, blinking as his whole body suddenly quivered, his face hardening with a new intense emotion. Spike's eyes remained closed but his expression twisted into something akin to sadness. ". . . sorry. . ." The soft rush of words made Faye blinked her throat tightening and her heart freezing mid beat in her chest. Suddenly Spike was tossing violently about, kicking the loss sheets, hands wildly flung about the bed as if searching for something he would never find. Faye tensed, a feeling close to cold fear gripping her at the fact that Spike had truly heard her, yet a warm blush firing up on her cheeks at his gruff sleep filled words. She slowly turned to face his prone form; her hand coming up to clenched the fabric of her coat in her uncertainty. "Julia . . ."

And Faye's world stopped completely. Faye slowly relaxed, watching another nightmare entrapped Spike. She stood there for several seconds just to watch his misery swollen face until she couldn't take it any longer. Before Faye knew what she was doing, she had spun on her heel and strode from the room, her slender fingers coming to fiddle the golden band that she had placed about her wrist earlier. As the doors closed behind her she could hear Spike's agonizing screams as the nightmares that had been plaguing him came back in full force. Faye covered her ears and lowered her head, not willing to hear any source of his voice. As she turned the corner she ran head long into another body, both of them stumbling back.

"Faye? What the hell is wrong?" Jet's gruff voice echoed in Faye's ears but she didn't bother to acknowledge it, instead she just shook her head took off again; ducking away from Jet's half hearted lunge as he tried to stop her. "Faye!" His voice followed her as she raced to the Red Tail, pressing the button on her bracelet, a jet of air blowing about as took off. Faye barely paused to open the hangar doors, Jet so close behind she could feel his worried eyes burning her. "Faye, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Faye turned back to look at Jet as she pulled open the hatch to the Red Tail, Spike's echoing screams for a dead woman still resounding in her ears long after they had faded into the background. "Just leave me be, Jet!" She shouted over the noise of the engine and pulled herself in, grasping the controls, the whole small ship bobbing with her hasty movements. She could see Jet screaming at her, but she refused to listen, instead she wrenched the controls to the left, the Red Tail swerving to point to the door and was gone before Jet could even take more than several steps to her.

* * *

Faye looked at the cards in her hand and sighed. She wasn't really in the mood for gambling, but at least, for the moment, it was something to take her mind off of the long and unsuccessful search for Edward. She had been all over Ganymede with little success. Now at night fall, she found herself in a casino; her motto being nothing was better for a quick pick-me up than a bit of gambling. Of course, it kept her from going to back to the Red Tail, where she was certain there would be a few messages from Jet.

All the way to Ganymede Jet had been frantically calling her, and when she did answer, she had gotten a grumpy, make-up covered Spike pushing Jet out of his way. "Where do you think you're going?" His voice was hard and Faye could swear she heard something akin to panic lacing his words. Faye reached up and turned off her monitor so though Spike could hear her, she wouldn't have to see him. When Faye didn't answer Spike's voice became more demanding. "Where are you going, Faye?"

"If I wanted to talk with you, I would answer, Spike! Put Jet on, I don't really feeling like listening to your whining at the moment." Faye tried to keep her words steady but she found herself choking at them. She had more to say but the chance of her words wavering was too great, and she definitely did not want to show Spike any weakness.

Miraculously, Spike didn't have any witty come backs; instead he spoke with some sincerity. "What are you going on about now, Faye?"

Faye just huffed and rolled her eyes. "Damn it Spike, put Jet on! Do you actually think that I would want to talk to you after the way you played me?" There was a paused as she heard Jet roughly speaking to Jet in the background. Faye could barely make out Spike's words but knew he was angry. Then he was suddenly back again, his voice booming voice making Faye jump. "What Faye, you actually think you mean something to me? You actually think that I need you? Don't let one kiss go to your head-"

Faye cut Spike off angrily. "Fuck Spike, just shut the hell up!" Faye knew that her voice had cracked with emotion from the silence that now hung between the two. She shook silently as tears started to flood her eyes. "You're a real piece of work." The familiar words, even though they were soft came out with heated intensity. "You've told me that before." Spike words too were soft but heated. "You really think that you'll be able to find Ed?" Faye heard something in the background, no doubt that Jet had not yet been told of the communication between the red head and the two beboppers.

"No matter how stupid it is, I'm going to try." Another heavy silence filled the air, and Faye prayed for courage to say what she wanted to. She leaned forward, finger poised to cut of their only means of communication in a second. "Just like I tried to help you, but I can't. You're still hung up on Julia." Faye sighed and shook her head, talking more to herself now than Spike. "I'll always come in second until you can find a way to get over her. Maybe . . . that will never happen, but I can't take you being so hot and cold with me anymore." Faye sighed and felt a tremble go through her entire body. "I don't want a guy who kisses me just to shut me up, Spike. And that's what you've been doing."

Spike growled and he snarled nastily. "Well give the girl a fucking prize! Not only has she figured out the truth, but she believes that she has me completely figured out!" Faye winced at the hurt undertone that lingered in his voice. There was several seconds of silence before Spike let out a bitter laugh. "You think you understand me, Faye, but in all reality, you don't." Faye wasn't sure what else Spike was going to say, but she wasn't about to sit there and take it. She quickly hit the button, cutting off Spike's words that were starting to form on his lips.

So now Faye was trying to drown her anger in her gambling. The dealer played another card and Faye sighed as she realized that she had lost another hand due to her inattention. She slowly placed her cards face down on the table, folding and slowly stood up, smoothing out of the wrinkles of the purple dress she had picked up at the nearby good will when she realized that her yellow outfit probably wouldn't suffice in this casino. Faye vaguely remembered that there had been a bar near the back of the casino, and decided that if she couldn't gamble her anger away she might as well try to drown it in alcohol. She managed to maneuver through the crowds and found that she could not get rid of a nervous tinge that was slowly building in the pit of her stomach.

She had searched for signs of Edward any place she could think of; starting in what she believed was probably one of the most obvious places: the Sea Rat Farm. Of course, she hadn't had much luck there, but that hadn't dissuaded her. It had only been after she had searched several orphanages, checked with the police, and even asked, what felt like, a thousand people on the whereabouts of the famed Radical Edward did her hopes become slightly shot.

But, even without any signs of Edward she was relieved and happy to be away from Spike, the emotional colossus. So she found her way to the closest casino and had tried to win enough money to get a place for the night, but her heart wasn't in it, not with Spike's harsh words still ringing in her ears.

Faye slid into one of the stools at the bar and rapped her knuckles on the counter trying to draw the bartender's attention. And though the bar wasn't extremely busy, he seemed impervious to her. Faye frown as she rapped her knuckles on the bar top again, slightly harder, and when the bartender was still oblivious to her, she was about to yell at him when a voice from behind her beat her to it. "Marc! Two beers!"

Faye started as a bulky man slide into the stool next to her, a tight smile playing over his lips. His accent was thick from a French region that Faye knew but she couldn't quite place, but she guessed it was one of the French space stations that had set off before the gate explosion. Faye gave a half hearted smile to the man and turned back to try to get the bartenders attention and started to see him suddenly in front of her, sliding a beer to her and the new man. Faye blinked in surprise, staring at the beer in shock, as the man took a large swig of his. He lifted an eyebrow as he let out a relishing sigh. "Would you prefer something else? Something sweeter perhaps?"

Faye dumbly shook her head. "No." She shook her head again trying to form a coherent sentence. "No, thank you this is fine." Faye spoke in hushed tones before she brought the beer to her lips and took a dainty sip, while trying to mask the cruel smile that was lifting up the corners of her mouth. She was going to definitely milk this cash cow for all he was worth, but the looks of it he was well off, custom made suit, expensive leather shoes, and had the taste for expensive beers. And he was quite decent looking. His long black hair was pulled back into a pony tail as to keep it from straying into his molten red eyes. "I didn't catch your name."

The man laughed and Faye took another dainty sip form her beer. "Pardon-moi, Je suis Pierre Dragonetti." Pierre turned to her with a smile. "Enchanté, mademoiselle Valentine. Or may I call you Faye?" Faye felt a lump build in her throat and she slowly turned to see Pierre smiling widely at her. Faye moved to stand up but Pierre's hand grabbed her arm tightly. "I wouldn't think of doing anything stupid, Mademoiselle. The life of a certain child hangs in the balance."

Faye whipped her head around to face the man, her features hard with anger. "What did you do to Edward?" She hissed, tugging lightly on the arm that held her. Pierre just laughed and sipped his drink again nodding to the bartender before he stood up, dragging Faye with him. "Edward is fine at the moment. If you would?" He gestured toward the exit and allowed Faye to stand with some dignity. Faye wasn't sure what other choice she had, so she gracefully stood, brushing out the wrinkles in her dress, wishing that she had thought to bring a gun with her.

Pierre waited until Faye was situated and then grabbed her by the upper arm again, and smiled at Faye's scowl. Faye pulled against his harsh holding wanting to have some control of the situation, and when she spoke her voice was hard and cold. "What do you want?" Pierre didn't reply but slowly guided her through the crowds, eyes scanning the area as if someone else was expected to show up.

Faye gave a strong yank against his hold and for one seconds was free before Pierre had her again. Pierre glared at her, moving so their noses almost touched a leering grin consuming his calm face. "Oui, mademoiselle? What can I do for you?" Faye wasn't put off at all by the position, she wasn't going to stand down to scum like him, instead she moved closer into his hold, muscles tense. Pierre moved a hand up to brush some of her violet locks of hair from her face, his eyes dipping briefly to her chest before meeting her gaze again. "Has anyone told you that you look lovely when you're angry?"

Faye ignored comment and once again tried to wrench her arm free, but Pierre's steel grip dug deeper into the soft flesh of her upper arm. Faye seethed in silent anger, the laughing voices around them having no idea what was happening to the pair. "What do you want? What are you getting out of this?"

Pierre instead of answering slowly reached inside his coat pocket and pulled out a gun so Faye could barely see it. "Questions will be for later, mademoiselle. If you would just come quietly, I don't want to have to use force. It would be very dreadful for someone as lovely as you to be riddled with bullet holes." His serious tone left Faye no room to doubt the man's ability to shoot her in such a public place, so instead of arguing with him she went along silently. Pierre quickly made his way towards the back where he stopped in front of a door and whispered some words to the man guarding it.

The man guarding it laughed and turned to swipe his card through the scanner allowing Pierre and Faye to pass, but not before his eyes trialed over Faye lecherously. "Bon soir, mademoiselle." The man nodded to Faye as they passed and quickly closed the door behind them.

"Where is Edward?" Faye asked again, not bothering to hold back the hostile anger that was building in her, figuring it was safe to speak again now that they had left the crowded casino floor. The man did not answer immediately but looked up and down the hall in appraisal before turning his gleaming red eyes towards his captive. Faye swore that the only man who had ever really made her this angry was Spike.

Pierre held her eyes as he pushed open a door for her a couple feet down the hall and thrust her in front of him, a leering grin accompanying his actions. "All in due time, mademoiselle." And then silence fell on the room again. Faye huffed and rubbed her upper arm, grateful that she was finally released. She gazed around the lightly furnished room, there were several wood pieces, including a desk and a small table, along with two overstuffed chairs. Pierre gestured for Faye to take a seat in one of the overstuff chairs, eyes dark. "Please, sit."

Hesitantly Faye sat down, not liking the quiet that resonated in the room. She fiddled with the fabric of her dress, smoothing out the wrinkles before her hands clutched the golden bracelet about her wrist, wishing she had thought to put some gas in it before she left. It was only when the door opened did Faye get her first relief of the day. "Faye-Faye!"

Faye turned in time to see Edward flinging her small body at her, arms coming about and wrapping tightly about Faye's neck. Though Faye felt like she was choking, she couldn't help but smile at the girl, wrapping her arms about Edward's lithe frame in turn, slightly surprised to feel the girls body quivering. Faye lowered her head and tried to look into the girl's eyes, but was unable to do so as Edward had buried her face into Faye's shoulder. "Edward? Are you all right?"

Before Edward could answer, another voice rang out causing Faye to jump. This voice too was thickly accented but much more difficult for Faye to understand. "The girl is fine." Faye turned her head to see middle aged, road worn looking man stepping up limping slightly and clutching at a cane for support. Many scars were laced over his cheeks, and the white's of his eyes were slowly turning a yellowish color. Faye wanted to look away in horror, but something told her that if she did, she would be risking both Edward's and her life. "She has been having troubles coping."

Faye's eyes narrowed as she tightened her hold on the girl, and fingered her bracelet, trying to come up with a plan to get them back out onto the casino floor in one piece. Faye decided to wait it out a few more minutes, see what information she could get out of them. "Coping?" The man stared at Faye for several seconds, looking almost uncertain as if he should answer her. In the end, he just gave her a wide smile that made Faye boil in anger.

"It appears that my men killed her dog when we were trying to capture her." The man walked around to sit on the other side of the desk and lowered into the large chair that sat behind it, arms folding in front of him on his desk.

Edward pressed her face into Faye's shoulder with a loud wail. "Poor Ein! Woof Woof! Ein!" For once Faye found that she did not care that Edward was rubbing against her for could not find the voice to tell the girl to stop, that it was only a dog. Faye brought her hand around to press the button on her bracelet, but as she made the movement, the guards that had come in with the older man made to grab their guns. Faye froze in her motion and the man behind the desk laughed, glaring at his guards.

He raised his hand to Pierre and the guards. "Arrêtez-vous! Elle ne me tirera pas. Elle n'a pas le courage." Pierre suddenly backed off and Faye could only raise an eyebrow, wishing she could understand what they were saying.

"Ne soyez pas trop rapide pour la juger." Pierre's voice was suddenly rich and vibrant as he spoke in his own language, his native tongue. It gave him a flavor of intrigue that Faye felt drawn too. She shook her head trying to loosen the thoughts of madness; Pierre seemed to be more self oriented than Spike ever would be. Pierre gave Faye a long stare before he waved to his boss and spoke harshly. "Elle est dangereuse."

"Je n'ai jamais dit qu'elle n'était pas dangereuse, J'ai dit "qu'elle n'a pas le courage. " The older man spoke, and turned his eyes back to Faye with a smile. Pierre huffed and looked over at Faye who was slowly shifting Edward in her grasping, trying her best to figure out what they were saying.

"S'il vous plait monsieur, pardon-moi mais je pense que vous pouvez être confondu." The old man just laughed and was about to reply when suddenly Faye interrupted.

"Who are you? What do you want with Edward and I?" The man looked at Faye with a half smile and swooshed Pierre several steps back. The man looked at Faye hard in the eye for several seconds before he sighed.

"Forgive my rudeness, mademoiselle. I am the new leader of the Lions, François Dragonetti. I believe you have already met my second in command, Pierre?" François's eyes were suddenly on hisrelation who made to move out of the room. "Where are you going, Pierre?"

Pierre just huffed and shot daggers at François. "Since you do not take my words seriously, I shall leave you with this. . . vixen." The last word was spoken with what Faye could only call lust, and felt herself involuntarily shiver. She could still feel Pierre's eyes on her as his voice dropped to a husky tone. "Bon soir, mademoiselle." And then he was gone.

Faye eyed François wearily before she sighed, snide remarks bubbling from beneath the surface. "All right, Fanny or whatever your name is. What is it you want with this girl and me?" Though Faye tried she found she could not get Ed to release her hold about her neck.

"Mademoiselle, though you try to insult me you do not succeed. But may I suggest that you learn some manners before you open your mouth again, for many people will not be as . . . forgiving as I. And keep in mind that both your lives are very expendable." François smiled bitterly as he rested his arms on the desk in front of him again, looking very professional. "Now, what I want is very simple, I assume that you know Monsieur Spiegel fairly well, mademoiselle?" Faye raised an eyebrow, and found that even though she felt slightly afraid she couldn't stop the snide comments from rising.

"You assume? Well, _Monster_ Drag-eddy," she snapped viciously. "If you assume, you are just making an ass of yourself before me." It apparently took a few seconds for him to understand for her was suddenly laughing, leaning against the desk to keep some balance. (Hint on snide comment: Take a look at the word ASS-U-ME.)

"Ah, mademoiselle Valentine. No wonder Monsieur Spiegel watches over you so carefully. Do you know how long it has taken us to be able to get you alone?" Faye froze at the words, and felt a hard jolt travel over her, suddenly realizing why Spike had gone to such drastic measures to keep her on the bebop. Why he had suddenly become so into going on bounties, Faye couldn't really believe that he was watching over her. She felt a hitch in her throat but was able to force herself to speak over it, trying to seem like what he had said to her carried no meaning.

"And why are you after Spike?" Her voice was stiff and hard, but not betraying her true feelings. François raised an eyebrow and slowly stood, picking up his cane. He loomed down over her, a sneer of a smile making Faye wish she had not asked anything. Edward was slowly loosening her grip, obvious to Faye that she was listening intently.

"He is part of the old Red Dragons. Therefore he must die." Faye tried to stand up, but found it difficult to do so with Edward hanging all over her. Reaching up she squeezed lightly on a pressure point on Ed's neck, who let out a small yelp and loosened enough to allow Faye to stand.

"Oh? Well, seeing as how either of us aren't Mr. Spiegel." Faye sneered nastily, finally getting Edward to settle, but kept a hand on the girl's shoulder. "What do you need us for?" Faye was going to say more, but François chose that moment to draw a gun out from a drawer in his desk, and level it at Faye. "What? You scared that Edward and I are going to kick your ass?"

A wicked grin crossed his face as he eyed the pair. "Be warned, mademoiselle. I am a good shot." Faye fakeda lunge at François who took her bait and fired. As the bullet cracked the air, Faye pushed Edward to the floor, and ducked behind the desk, she waited until she heard the click of him cocking the hammer before she jumped up, rolling across the desk, and sending a flying kick at the man. François's aim was off and the bullet lodged in the wood of the door, but neither of them had time to watch where it hit, for the next second they were both wrestling for the gun; Faye falling under the surprising strength of the old man.

Suddenly Edward was at the man's ankles sinking her teeth into his soft flesh, growling as though she were a dog. François growled in anger and raised his cane to bring it down on Edward when Faye lashed out with a strong right hook. François gave a cry as her fist bashed into his cheek, and the swing of his cane quickly changed directions, coming down and breaking across Faye's forearm. Faye grunted in pain, not willing to show any pain and Edward was suddenly punching the man. In the next second the door flew open and Pierre and some other men came running in.

Faye cursed under her breath and without hesitating, lashed out again, ramming her sore fist into François's nose, and yanking the gun from his hand. In the next second she had twisted him about, and pulled him into a headlock, he bleeding arm dripping down and covering his white shirt in red droplets. She pressed the barrel of the gun hard against his temple and sent a wicked lopsided smile towards the men as she struggled to keep François under control. "Hello boys." Her breath was ragged and uneven as she pressed her arm even harder against his wind pipe. "Why don't you step aside."

The men looked at each other and were about to come after her but François's wheezy voice halted them. "Arrêtez-vous! Laissez-la la penser est libre et permettez-lui de partir. Comme je dit, elle n'a pas le courage. Son manqué de courage montrera quand elle voit sa surprise." Faye's eyes narrowed as the men backed down. Faye motioned for Edward to follow her as they made their way towards the door, François's wheezing breaths the only sound.

"What did you tell them?" She hissed as she pressed him forward, as they edge through the doorframe backwards, Edward clutching to Faye's dress like her life depended upon it. François smiled cruelly through a bloody nose, his arms hanging limply by his side. When she didn't receive as answer Faye applied more pressure to his esophagus, cringing as her arm protested the action. "Tell me or we'll see how much you like a bullet lodged in your cerebrum." François laughed and Faye growled at how nonchalant he was. In her anger she pressed the barrel against his temple even hard, before chancing a look back to see how close they were to the door that they had entered through. "Talk."

"You wouldn't understand, mademoiselle." As they stopped by the door, Faye looked around and nodded to Edward who opened the door and ran out. Faye looked at François with a hard smile.

"Have a nice nap, Fanny." Before François could reply, Faye brought the butt of the gun down across the back of his head, and pushed his dead weight towards the men who were suddenly charging at her, stopping them in their tracks. Faye tilted a fake cowboy hat towards them as she followed Edward out the door, slamming it shut as several bullets trailed after her. Running into the midst of a harassed looking crowd, Faye could barely see Edward's red head dodging about the people trying to out run two guards that were chasing her. Faye raised her gun in the air and fired several rounds off, and smiled as everybody dropped to the floor screaming. The two guards that had just grabbed Edward turned in time to see Faye aiming at them, both of them letting out screams as they took bullets in their shoulders and legs.

Faye ran up to the frantic girl, pulling her up by the shirt. "Come on, Edward! Stop dragging your feet!" Faye pressed the button on the Red Tail as they head towards the door, and looked back and fired several more warning shots at any of the guards that tried to stop them. Edward gave a scream of delight as they stepped out of the front of the casino and the Red Tail bounced down in front of them. Faye quickly pulled open the hatch, ducking slightly as a bullet popped off near them. She violently shoved Edward in and fired several more shots before yanking the hatch closed and lifting off. As they flew off, Faye could see the lights of the police vehicles coming up to them. Faye took a look at her bloody arm and cursed, about to tell Edward to reach behind the seat to get some rags, but when she met Edward's teary smile she couldn't find the words.

Faye sighed and slowly wrapped her good arm about Edward, pulling the child closer, and allowing her to cry on her shoulder. The only lingering thoughts were to get as far away from Ganymede as quick as possible.

* * *

Edward had long since fell asleep against the glass, a heavy mist coating the over the shield against the darkness each time she breathed. Faye leaned back trying to get as comfortable as she could with Edward sprawled half across her, and Faye was slightly surprised to see, once things had settled down, that there had been no more messages from the Bebop, which slightly worried her. Besides that, she had a frantic Edward crying over a dead dog. Though it had been a dog, Faye could not but help feel a bit of remorse, remorse because that dog had been a part of the bebop, part of her family.

Faye glanced over at Edward's soft snoring, the sound dragging up thoughts on Spike. Had he really been trying to protect her, or was it just him being an ass? She couldn't make up her mind about it, for the harsh words he had spoken to her after she left was still too fresh in her ears to make her think differently.

As they drew closer to the last position of the bebop, Faye flipped on her scanner and was pleasantly surprised to see that it had not moved. She pressed the call button and waited until an empty screen popped up, presenting her an image of the ugly yellow couch. "Guys?" Faye's voice was hoarse and soft and it took several times to clear it to make it any louder. "Jet? Spike? Where are you guys?"

Faye waited for several seconds before looking up through her window to the distant space where the bebop lay, even though she couldn't see it, she knew it was there. She sighed and turned back to the monitor again. "Are you guys just going to ignore me? Hello? I've got Edward!" Faye's voice suddenly froze in her throat as the whole image began to quake violently. Faye watched with puzzled eyes as the screen started to fizz with black and white specks before it went completely dead. Faye felt a fear well up her gut and she brought her eyes up to the horizon again, absentmindedly pressing the call button.

It was then in the distance that she caught sight of a huge ball of fire, unfurling and expanding into a ball of flames, brightening the sky in every direction. Faye's eyes went back down to the monitor, pressing it over and over again to no avail. There was a loud wailing cry, and Edward shot up, eyes looking frantically around, before she turned to Faye. It was at that moment that Faye realized it was her own voice, crying out in agony as the only home she had ever known was blown into oblivion.

_An: Woo hoo! That took a while to get out. Hee hee. Whelps, sorry it took so long to update. I've been tossed around from party to party every single day and my birthday isn't even until next Monday! Yeesh, I feel so old! Half way to forty! Scary thought! anywho. School is starting for me soon too so I've been trying to deal with school-type things… my roommate has decided last minute to back out, so now I have to pay 800 bucks a month instead of 400… hmm, hey I know, anyone looking for a roommate? I promise I'm only slightly insane! Hoe! School starts shortly which means less updates… sorry. It's not easy to balance everything out, I got approved to take 21 credit hours Hoe! I am nuts! So anyway, the French translations are just below… sorry I know I butchered it (for those of you who know French), I'm a little rusty. Take it easy! And in the end . . . it all comes down to this._

_Pardon-moi, Je suis Pierre Dragonetti_ - Pardon me, I am Pierre Dragonetti.

_Enchanté_ – Nice to meet you; enchanted … you get the point.

_Bon soir, mademoiselle_ – Good evening, Miss.

_Arrêtez-vous! Elle ne me tirera pas. Elle n'a pas le courage_ - Stop. She won't shoot me. She doesn't have the courage.

_Ne soyez pas trop rapide pour la juger_ - Don't be too quick too judge her.

_Elle est dangereuse_ – She is dangerous

_Je n'ai jamais dit qu'elle n'était pas dangereuse, J'ai dit "qu'elle n'a pas le courage._ - I never said she was not dangerous, I said that she doesn't have the courage

_S'il vous plait monsieur, pardon-moi mais je pense que vous pouvez être confondu_ - Please sir, forgive me, but I think you may be mistaken.

_Monsieur_ - Mister

_Arrêtez-vous! Laissez-la la penser est libre et permettez-lui de partir. Comme je dit, elle n'a pas le courage. Son manqué de courage montrera quand elle voit sa surprise._ - Stop! Let her think she is free and allow her to leave. As I said she doesn't have courage. Her lack of courage will show when she sees her surprise

Kuro-Ippikiookami21: Thank you, that makes me feel better about that last chapter, but I still think it could use a lot of work. But I like this chapter! Well, sorta. (winks). Now I've added a bit of language… eek! We'll see how it goes. Thanks for reviewing. Take it easy!

XHatori-SohmaX: I'm glad I did something that was not expected. I like to keep people on their toes. And I do hope that I accomplished this with the end of the chapter… hee hee. I hope it wasn't expected, at least. Thank you for your reviews. Reviews make my world go round! Till next time!

Zottie: The mighty read head indeed. She'll play a bigger part later… Sorry Ein! Oh, I hope nobody kills me for that… of course, you can't really be sure if Ein is dead, now can you? Hee hee. Don't worry, there shall be plenty more SxF moments to come, I promise. See you next chapter!

Shola: Another Junkie! Yay! I am a huge SxF fluff junkie myself. But when I write it, I dunno, it doesn't seem as good. And I'm glad that I still seem to be able to keep Spike in character… I always think I'm not. Still do… having him sleep like the dead… we'll see. Thanks for brightening my day! Take it easy!

Anime-catdragon: I'm glad that the last chapter wasn't as bad as I thought. I look back on it now and see it isn't horrible, but it still doesn't live up to my standards. Oh well. This chapter thought, I'm pretty happy with. Nothing huge, but a little more plot twist. Kaboom goes the Bebop! Hoe! I didn't mean to do that. Oh well, it definitely will slow down the SxF is Spike is dead, won't it? (Winks) anyways, thank you for reviewing! Take it easy!

Ni9htdreame12: Thank you! You should see me jumping up and down in excitement because I have a new reviewer! Huggles! Yes, Spike did something very drastic to keep her loud mouth on the ship, but didn't quite work out did it? Oh well. Thanks for reviewing! Till Next Time!

Angels Heart 1622: I know, poor Faye having to be stuck to Spike, but secretly I think she liked it (winks) Thanks for reviewing. Take it easy!

CarolinaWhiteRose: Definitely against Faye's wishes. But she got over it rather quickly, don't you think? I will promise one thing, I won't be bringing Julia back, I've never liked those stories where they thought Julia was dead and it's like suddenly, "Oh here I am." So Julia is truly gone, but sadly I don't think Faye will forget her all too soon. Reviewers like you make my world go round! Thanks. Take it easy!

Kyra1: LMAO! Yes, indeed, stories are definitely our children. And this one right now, is definitely mine, so no, you don't have to be committed at all because you hit it right on the money!

We'll it's official, we blush together, because as always, your making me blush again. (smiles.) You have definitely washed away all my fears about this story. But I do believe that my child will be eating some dirt on the playground coming up pretty quickly… Hoe! Especially if I keep having chapters that end like this one.

And yes, the Sox may just get dirty, but they'll let the Brave help clean 'em up. Take it easy!

Firevixen73: I'm glad you love it, because if other people love it, than I want to write more! So thanks for your review! See you next time!

Dannie-chan: Hey! Hey!

Look At My Leg!

(Smiles) Ah, I love those little phrases! Very sneaky indeed! It works, truly it works! Ah, That makes me feel special! If only you could see how madly I am grinning. Sorry it took so long this time! Yeesh, school is the devil! Okay, no, roommates who decided to back out at the last minute are the devil! Hampers my writing time is what it does! Ah well, this chapter went better than the last, at least in my mind… uh-oh, there comes self-doubt again! (winks) Till next time take it easy!

Breezy1028: (Grins madly) And that, in my opinion, wasn't even a great chapter! But thank you! You have me beaming! One cool author? (Face goes bright red). Thank you! But seriously, you took the time to review my work, so I think I should take the time to tell you how my I appreciate it! If I didn't, well that would be wrong. It wouldn't feel right to me. So Thank you oh-great-breezy for taking the time to review my work… it really does make me day each time I see a new review out there! Take it easy and see you next chapter!

Greypenink: Like that name! You are right when you say SxF rules! I do believe that many other people would agree with you there. Don't worry, I promise in the next chapters there will be more… if I don't decide to kill Spike off… uh-oh… back off people I'm just kidding! (Runs for her life!) Till next time!

KittyVicious: I love you! I love all my reviewers! Review make my day… because I check them when I'm at work… bad Alternative Therapy, using company time for personal use… hee hee. Thanks for your review! Hope you like this chapter! Take it easy!

Kendra Luehr: I'm happy that I was able to make your day better! You always make mine better with your reviews! I'm glad that I am doing all right… I think it will take me a while to meet you in the SxF greatest moments ever, but I'll try my best to get up there! Thanks! Till Next time (winks)

Oyuki: Bed is always the best place to end in . . . because it can lead to interesting places… Bad Alternative Therapy, bad! Whoops. Anyways, I will definitely be expanding on those issues in the coming chapters, no worries. I'm glad you like it! Take it easy!

Redeve: Eep! My writing is amazing? No, not compared to so many other authors out there at FF. But thank you for you're confidence boost! Yes, I did enjoy that line too, (it's one of my favorites! Don't ask me why) wait? End? End? Did something happen that I don't know about? Eep! Look Look! More chapters! (winks) Thanks for reviewing! Till next time… if you're still reading this… hoe!

MelodyFaith: Beautiful? I like the sound of that. But I believe beautiful is what you are for reviewing! Reviews not only make my day, but they make me write! So thank you! Take it easy, and here is definitely to SxF moments! Cheers!

SingMeAnything: Thank ye! Ed is definitely a fun and crazy character to write… although she didn't get much action here, but.. just wait. Thanks for reviewing! I appreciate the feedback! Take it easy!

Lilpinkpookie: Thank you! I'm glad I'm not the only one enjoying this fic! Hope you like the chapters to come! Till next time then!


	7. Chapter 6

AN: _Forgive me, I don't have time to look over this, so if there's a mistake, sorry! I really wanted to get this out. Hope it's all good, but we'll see. Enjoy!_

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop

The Last Fragments of You

By: Alternative Therapy

Chapter Six

Faye leaned against the console, her breaths coming out in quick and uneven gasps. She barely registered Edward's smaller hands grappling her shoulder and urgently shaking her. The girl's gentle cries of fear were enough evidence to let Faye know that the ship she had watched expand into a ball of flame and slowly start to sink to the sandy ground below was the Bebop.

"Faye-Faye?" Edward's sobbing squeak sent a shiver down her spine. Faye wanted to refuse to move from her position across the console, she wanted to blend into the piece of machinery and act as though she had nothing to do with the burning ship in front of them, but she knew that nothing in this new life of hers could really be that simple. Faye knew that no matter how many different ways she tried to tell herself that she didn't care for anyone, or that she depended solely on herself, she knew it wasn't true. So it was with great regret that Faye slowly lifted her head off the console her body aching with the movement as she strained against the untamed emotions that held her glued to the ship like gravity.

"Faye-Faye?" The two syllables gained a desperate edge as Faye slowly lifted her head to face the young girl. The extreme stretch of emotions that rode the girl's face caused Faye to start. Edward's grip on Faye's upper arm tightened as she again urgently pulled at her, it was almost as if the girl was begging for some form of comfort, for some sort of understanding of what was happening to her made-up family. Faye understood as she peered at Edward's watery eyes that she would have to be the strong one that she would have to try to override the jumble of emotions that plagued her, the uncertainty, the sadness, and the feeling of being absolutely lost in a world where she had no one to turn too. She would have to override these emotions, she could not allow them to consume her, and for once in Faye's life she realized that she would have to take on the roll of being completely responsible.

"Edward?" Faye painfully choked out the word and swallowed through the thickening saliva in her throat. The first step to being responsible was composure; composure not only for Edward's sake but for her own sanity. Her sanity required her to remain composed and calm until she had dealt with the charred remains of the place she had called home for more than a year now; her sanity required her to keep her emotions at bay until she was alone, away from the wrecked scene of all her happiness. Faye shook her head at the thought, feeling like she was once again reliving the moments were she had sat in the empty lot where her home on earth had once been. That had been a painful day to live through; it had been memories of cherished people, most of who had long since died. Faye knew, no matter how painful that day had been, this one would be so much more so, for the memories were fresh, vibrant, and in her mind, still very much alive. Faye brought her watered over gaze to Edward, and tried not to flinch at the agonizing, sorrow-filled expression that would not leave the girl's face for days to come.

"Were Jet and Spike . . . were they . . .?" Edward's incomplete sentence made Faye shiver again. She had yet to accept the fact, let alone face it, that Spike and Jet might have been trapped inside the craft. That their bodies were now burning flakes of ash trapped inside the hot twisted metal that was there home. Faye didn't want to face it; she didn't have the strength to keep composure if she allowed herself to believe that they were gone. Losing a house, a home was one thing, but losing the people she had thought of as family was a based on a different level. Faye violently shook the thoughts from her mind, not willing to think about it yet, not willing to allow the maybes to become actualities. She was dimly aware of how badly her hands were trembling as she reached out to get a better grip on the control of the Red Tail. Her eyes swung to the furling fire on the horizon, and tried to unsuccessfully fight back another violent shiver.

Faye refused to accept that two people as smart as Jet and Spike could be caught so unaware, that their lives could have ended so easily, but she knew that she would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that she had doubts about their survival. Faye watched as another part of the Bebop exploded, sending a shower of debris to the cold darkened crust of the planet. Edward's hands still gripped her arm tightly, and Faye thought it would be better to suffer while the survival of the men of the Bebop was still an unknown, still to large of an uncertainty to really judge. For it they were dead, the blow wouldn't be as harsh if they gave their full hope to them being alive. And Faye found that she couldn't bring herself to put any type of false hope into the girl. "I don't know, Ed."

Edward jolted as if she had been slapped, her fingers loosening their grip. Faye's lips curled into a hateful frown as her hands tightened about the controls and moved her eyes towards a distant silhouetted town. She knew that she would have to try and salvage what she could from the Bebop, but after seeing Edward's reaction, she knew that she didn't have the heart to do it with her present. No, walking about the burning wreckage to salvage what she could, trying to find any remains of the people who might have been inside was definitely not something that a child as old as Edward should be around for. Faye forced her eyes away from the burning remains of her home, hoping that the images of Spike's and Jet's bodies roasting in the flaring heat would fade from her mind, and turned to the pasty complexion of Edward.

"Ed." Faye cleared her throat several times trying to gain some strength in pitch from the tightened vocal cords. But she found it even harder to keep her voice steady as her mind was bombarded with the haunting images of burning bodies, hounding her like the pain-twisted face of the man she had shot on a hunt weeks ago. Faye hastily blinked the horrific images away and swiped the back of her hand across her cheek bones, before she cleared her throat, trying to speak again. "Ed . . ." Faye didn't know how to tell the emotionally irate girl that she was going to have to leave her, even if it was only for a short while. "Edward," she tried again and hastily pushed on. "I'm taking you to an orphanage."

Faye was suddenly being choked as Edward lashed out, grabbing hold of Faye's slender arm and painfully yanking at it, furiously shaking her head. "No, Faye-Faye, no. I won't. No. No. No. No. No. No –"

"Edward!" Faye viciously cut the girl's tantrum off, her voice cracking with the weight of unshed tears. There was a heavy silence as Faye tried to gain the strength to speak again, finding it more difficult to say what she knew she needed too, but didn't wan too. "You can't come with me. You'll only get in the way!" Faye's body trembled along with the words, and she found that she couldn't look Edward in her eyes.

Her voice was filled with hostile anger, and Faye knew that her words were a bit harsher that they had to be, but she found the only emotion that she could convey without breaking apart, with out breaking the composure she was trying to contain, was anger. Faye hiccupped as tears started to drip down her cheeks again. "I have to deal with the Bebop. I . . ." Faye struggled to keep talking. "You're . . . my only family, Ed."

Faye hiccupped again and stared at the distant burning wreckage. "I promise, Ed, I'll come back for you." Her voice was soft and choked with tears, and she found that she didn't have the strength to continue talking as she started to cry. Faye's shaking form was flooded with a sense of relief as they tears poured out, relief that she was releasing the pent up emotions, relief in that maybe once this bout of tears passed she would actually be able to be the responsible one, that she could act and function normally. Faye felt her breath hitch when Edward leaned into her, the girl's slender arms folding about Faye's slender frame and sobbing right along with Faye. The two held each other for several minutes, until the tenseness that had been gripping Faye vanished as the hot drops rolled down her cheeks unhindered.

Once the episode had faded, Faye cast a weary glance at the girl that was still crying into her shoulder and cursed her own stupidity for her harsh words. She knew she didn't know how to deal with kids; she had never had to deal with them, let alone try to even understand their emotions. Faye lazily brought a hand up to swipe her cheeks clean of the tear stains before she wrapped it about Edward's form. "I'm sorry, Edward. I can't take you with me."

Faye took Edward's silence as compliance to her wishes and looked towards the night covered town. There had to be some kind of orphanage in that town, some place where she could drop the girl off for a little while, there had to be one carrying soul among the hundreds that lived in the town. Faye, with her one free hand guided the Red Tail in the town's direction, and shot a regretful glance towards the burning wreckage of her home knowing there was nothing she could do for it or the people inside until the flames died away. For now, she would take care of the single member of her made-up family that she knew was alive. Taking off towards the town, Faye couldn't help but feel a bit on edge, eyes sweeping the skies for any signs of the gold lions syndicate.

* * *

Faye watched Edward's chest rise and fall softly in sleep. The elder woman that owned the orphanage had greeted them with a shotgun and a sharp voice demanding that they leave at once. From what Faye later learned, the owner, this little elderly woman, had been standing up to the nearby Ganymede authorities for months now as they continuously threatened her to try to shut her down and put the children out on the streets. When the authorities had first come all those months ago, she had put hot lead into one the men that dared touched one of her children. Needless to say his death was almost instantaneous, and since then she had a bounty on her head.

Apparently she was a small fry, for the only people that ever bothered to come after her were the Ganymede authorities who refused to be slighted. Faye turned her gaze back to the woman's soft, aged complexion, her wrinkled hands slowly winding a bandage about Faye's bloody forearm that had been lost to Faye in the great pain of her "families" deaths. Jinni – or Ji (Grandma Ji to the children in her orphanage) as she preferred to be called – had only lowered her shotgun when she got a good look at Faye. It was a loud exclamation of: "You have a bounty on your head!" that made Faye more than a little weary of Jinni from the start.

It was only when Jinni had raced forward with her shotgun forgotten, wrapped her arms about Faye in a warm, friendly embrace and explained her situation while leading the two girls inside did Faye actually relax slightly. Faye was surprised to admit that she had never been so thankful to once have a bounty on her head.

Faye softly thanked Jinni as she cut off the end of the bandage and taped it down about her forearm. Jinni assured Fay that though the arm would be sore and may still bleed from time to time, nothing had bee broken except the skin. Faye winced at the memory of the several long wooden splinters that Jinni had extracted from her arm and despite Faye's protesting, Jinni had refused to allow her to leave until her arm had been taken care of.

Now as Jinni finished wrapping her arm, Faye slid her eyes to Jinni's almond ones when the elderly woman began to tsk. "Such a mess, child." Jinni's warm voice mewled more in amusement than annoyance as she began to gather bloody bunches of cloth that had been pressed onto Faye's arm to clot the blood. Jinni slowly straightened and she tucked the used rags into her chest, almond eyes scanning over Faye's ragged face. Jinni smiled grimly and shook her head as her eyes trailed over to where Edward lay sleeping. "Was it someone close to you, dear?"

Faye felt herself tense at the words and blinked several times, hoping to make her surprised jump seem more than confusion than tenseness. Though Faye could see no immediate threat from this woman, she wasn't willing to go into her thoughts with anyone she just met. Hell, it had taken several months before she really opened up to anyone on the bebop. "I'm sorry?" Faye's voice was gruff and she could tell by the way that Jinni raised an eyebrow that the old woman was no fool when it came to reading people. Jinni didn't press her question; instead she made her way over to the trash can and threw away the rags that had been bundled into her chest.

Jinni walked over to the sink and washed her hands, a soft hum accompanying her movements about the room. Though Jinni's entire demeanor was pleasant, Faye could see how road worn the woman really was through some of her movements, as if her life had hit more pot holes than her body had been made for. Jinni, who had been looking on Edward for a while slowly turned back towards Faye with a small smile as she approached the table. "My dear child." She sighed as she leaned on the chair closest to her. "That girl over there will sleep soundly for a few more hours." Faye didn't respond and allowed Jinni to press on, she vaguely understood that before she left, Jinni would coax her to talk one way or another. "I've seen enough death in my life to know that the friction between that girl and you was caused by more than losing a home. . ." Jinni slowly sunk into the chair, her almond eyes not relenting from the piercing gaze that she had fixed on Faye since she had first approached the table. "What I asked earlier, my dear, was the person who died . . . was it someone close to you?"

Faye sat in the rickety wooden chair not daring to raise her eyes to the woman. There was something in her tone that made Faye feel like she wanted to break down and start screaming. But Faye refused to allow herself to slip again, not like she had in front of Edward, she had to be strong and since her arrival here, the tears had stopped. Maybe it was because she didn't want to believe that Spike and Jet might be gone, or maybe it was because she felt better, a little better, about being kept in the dark about them, because it left a bit of hope. It didn't matter what the reason was, all that mattered was she was no longer crying, but that didn't leave her from feeling completely drained of life. Faye didn't want Edward to see her like this, she hated that anybody would see her like this. Her eyes slid to the resting girl, vaguely remembering when they had first entered, Jinni telling Edward to lay down and giving her something to drink. Faye could only guess it was a type of sedative, for it was only minutes after the almost hysteric girl had sipped it she was asleep, resting peacefully.

"I see." Jinni's voice broke Faye out of her reverie causing her to jump at the sound. She had forgotten Jinni's question, and couldn't deny that she felt completely lost in the world at the moment. She looked up and Jinni's soft hand covered hers and squeezed it lightly. Faye broke her gaze away from Edward and faced the elderly woman, through a slightly watery gaze. "You won't have to worry about her, dear. I'll watch her while you go take care of what you need too." Faye's eyes widened a fraction as Jinni's smile grew. "She can stay here as long as she needs to."

Faye couldn't help the grim smile that laced over her ragged features and nodded her thanks. Faye couldn't say that she was all that shocked that Jinni seemed to read her thoughts that well, at the moment Faye felt like a book that was opened to the world. Faye stared up into Jinni's warm eyes, and realized that Jinni hadn't survived with a bounty on her head because she was a small fry. Even the big time bounty hunters went after small fries from time to time, any cash was better than none. It just all came down to that Jinni was able to take care of her place if the situation arose. Faye slowly leaned forward, carefully minding the weight that she applied to the injury on her forearm. "Ji, I need one more favor." Faye watched Jinni's expression, a smug little smile tugging at her lips as if she knew what was coming. "I need some weapons."

Jinni nodded solemnly, though there were hints of amusement playing about her features. "What kind of weapons?"

Faye smirked at the laughable tone. "I need some artillery for my Red Tail. And a decent hand piece, something light weight with power."

Jinni stared at Faye for several seconds. "All right, I can help you out." She folded her arms in front of her. "But I need some information from you dear." Faye tensed at the words but just nodded in agreement. She would be willing to tell this woman anything for any type of help. "Who are you running from?"

Faye took a deep breath, and looked out through the partly shaded window. The sky was slowly lightening by the minute, the Red Tail wouldn't stay hidden among the darkness of the trees for much longer, and she knew that the lions syndicate was probably out there, searching for them. Faye stared at Jinni for a long moment, knowing that it would be better to let the woman know what she was getting herself into. "We're on the run from a syndicate." Jinni looked like she was about to speak and Faye hastily spoke over her, pressing on. "The Golden Lions. One of my partners ran into trouble with them and they marked us all."

Jinni didn't bat an eye at the comment; instead she nodded and held her hand up, stopping Faye from continuing. "That's all I need to hear, dear. I'll do anything I can to help you." Jinni followed Faye's gaze out the window and sighed. "I just want you to promise me one thing, and I'll give you all the weapons you need."

Faye's eyes narrowed slightly. "What?" Her voice was harder than she had meant it to be, but the fact that Jinni didn't seem to care that she was putting not only her life, but the life of the children of the orphanage in danger by taking in Edward and helping Faye, made Faye slightly uneasy.

Jinni stood up and walked over to the cabinet, standing on her tip toes she felt around the dusty top of the cabinet until her fingers grasped what she was looking for. Jinni moved back around and slid the keys across the table toward Faye, her hand resting on her hip with a haughty smile. "Take a look in the store room by the side of the house, you should find what you need."

Faye looked down at the keys that sat in front of her but didn't move to take the key ring; instead she leaned back in her seat. "All right, what do you want me to promise you?"

Faye looked up to Jinni's hard set face, the first red rays of the morning sun was beginning to filter in through the have shaded window. The sun was splintering the blackened land, and Jinni's white complexion. A smear of the morning's colors was now creasing the walls of the kitchen, and off setting the graying, paling navy color of Jinni's hair. "I want you to promise me that you'll come back for this child." Jinni gestured towards Edward who continued to sleep on the couch undisturbed.

Faye smiled softly and looked at Edward through a half lidded gaze. "I'm not going to die, Ji, it's just a bounty hunters life." Faye grabbed the keys off the table and slowly stood, stretching her stiff back muscles as she did so.

Jinni smiled and shook her head at that answer, turning to pull some pans from the cabinet. "Funny, that's exactly what my son said." Jinni placed the pan on the stove and moved over to the window, her gaze locked on something in the distance. "Course, my son also had me marked as the savior of lost souls."

Faye raised an eyebrow and fingered the keys that were in the palm of her hand. "Savior of lost souls?" Faye's voice brought Jinni back to reality and she blushed deeply as she realized she had been talking. Jinni had peaked Faye's interesting and she shook her head holding out her hands to show that she meant no offense. "Please, I would like to hear more."

Jinni turned away from Faye, brushing some strands of hair behind her ear before she broke out into peels of laughter. And with a nod of her head, she obligingly continued. "He thought of the children as lost souls. No parents, no homes, nothing. Just lost souls wandering the earth trying to find a place where they belong." Jinni pulled the blinds up as she peered out into first light of the morning.

"What I don't think he ever realized that he was as lost as they were." Jinni turned to Faye with a small smile. "He was in an accident, never really fully explained what happened, but it was due to one of the syndicates. I think it was the Red Dragons that had him marked for death, could be wrong though, but I guess it doesn't really matter." Jinni shook her head and sighed. "He went into bounty hunting soon after his accident, didn't want anything to do with the people he worked with, plus he was always on the move so they couldn't pin him down that easily. But I think his soul was already gone at that point."

Jinni had that distant look about her face again, a sorrow-filled crease running the length of her forehead. "I pleaded with him to come home, I was afraid he was going to die, but he told me that death was part of the bounty hunters daily life. The risk to his life was just part of the job." Faye watched as Jinni wrestled with some of her thoughts, the red sun making her pasty complexion rosy. Jinni looked over to Faye to see her concern expression and she laughed. "Ah, don't worry about an old woman like me, dear. I talked to my son not too long ago, has a new bunch he's living with, a strange bunch if nothing else, but I don't think he's lost anymore. He tells me his new partner's are more lost than the children that call me Grandma. But I can tell he cares for them, they're his family now." They sat in silence for several seconds before Jinni walked back over to the table. "In the end, I guess he was right, though I'll never admit it."  
"Right? About what?" Faye could tell how important this was to Jinni, so she had stayed quiet until now, listened to what the old woman had to say. She was slightly surprised that she was interested in the story.

"He didn't die." Her words were warm but Faye felt a slight chill travel down her back. Faye found that she could look anywhere but Jinni, and as her eyes scanned about the room in her discomfort she realized how long it had been since she had been in a real house, one that was lodged deep within the dirt of a planet. That thought caused a gentle ache to start to build in her heart and Faye found that she needed to leave.

"Thank you for everything Jinni. I need to get going." Faye turned to leave but was stopped by Jinni's suddenly desperate hands taking hold of her shoulders.

"Wait. I told you that because my son was in a similar situation as you. Now you just can't go leaving this child like this unless you promise me you'll come back. I believed in my son, and I know she can believe in you. So please, promise, promise me that you'll come back for this child."

Faye felt slightly taken aback but she found that she couldn't move from the woman's hold. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she forcefully swallowed any doubt she had and nodded. "I promise." Her voice cracked and she turned her head away from Jinni's eyes. Jinni gave her shoulders a light squeeze before she stepped back.

Faye let out a soft sigh and turned her gaze away from the kitchen, freezing when her eyes fell on a small boy who was standing on the landing of the stairs. The boy's face was swollen with sleep and he let out a long yawn as he stepped into the kitchen. He stopped at the table, his young face showing Faye that he couldn't be any older than Edward. "Grandma Ji?" His voice was lost in another yawn as he plopped down on the chair that Faye had been sitting at.

Jinni seemed to be prepared for his arrival for she had already poured him a glass of orange juice and was setting it in front of him. "Breakfast will be ready shortly, dear." Jinni smiled warmly at the boy before she turned to Faye. "Would you like some breakfast before you go?"

Faye shook her head and squeezed the keys tighter in her grip. "No, thanks. Where should I leave these?" Jinni looked over her should and eyed the key that Faye held up in her hand as she cracked an egg over the pan.

"You can leave them in the mailbox." Jinni turned back to making breakfast, and asked the boy how he had slept. Faye cracked a smile at the tiny, sleep-filled voice that replied and looked over to Edward one more time, once again watching the rise and fall of her chest.

Faye walked towards the door but paused as she watched the boy drink his juice. Another lost soul who had been saved by this woman. Faye watched Jinni's back as she mixed the eggs, her stiff posture not belying her old age. "Thanks, Grandma Ji." Faye's soft voice caused the boy to look back at her, eyes wide, but Faye had already stepped out the door, disappearing into the early morning sun.

* * *

Faye scanned the horizon looking for the place where the Bebop had crashed. When Faye first got to the store room she was surprised to see how many locks were on the thing, but as soon as she had opened it up, Faye realized why. It wouldn't do to have the kids breaking into an arsenal. It was definitely not what Faye had been expecting to find, but it was a strange comfort to know that Edward was being kept with a woman who was so knowledge about guns. In the end, Faye had loaded up her Red Tail with a few rounds of artillery and took a light weight pistol for herself.

She jolted as her communicator on the Red Tail began to beep, the whole console blinking red with the strange light that pulsed in time with the beeping. Faye found herself lunging to answer it, Spike's and Jet's names flying off her lips as the screen buzzed to life in a series of black and white pixels. It was only when a narrowed angular face filled the screen with sharp red eyes, did any hope of seeing her comrade again turn into a boiling anger so great that she strained against herself to keep from punching the monitor.

Faye felt frozen as Pierre's slender face contorted into a twisted grin, his eyebrows lifting at the sight of her. "Bonjour, mademoiselle. You are looking as ravishing as ever." Faye felt her knuckles tighten about the controls, biting down on her tongue to remain silent, her face hardening.

Pierre laughed at her expression and leaned even closer to the screen so she could see the stains on his yellow teeth. "Mademoiselle, you appear as though your night has not been very restful. Might I ask if everything is all right?" Faye reached out to cut off the communication but Pierre tsked at her, shaking his finger. "Un moment, s'il vous plait. We must talk. You must answer me truthfully, mademoiselle, did you not like the surprise François gave you? I am sure that you're partners had a . . . blast."

Faye was suddenly blind in rage, and she felt the Red Tail shuddering in her anger. "You . . . _fucking_ . . . bastard!" The last word came out in a high pitched screech and her anger-panicked eyes suddenly found Pierre's, his smug smile making Faye even angrier.

"Ah, there are your lovely eyes. But . . . something tells me that you are not happy to see me." The mocking tone brought Faye back down a notch, it made her think of all that times she had fought with Spike, at least that annoying ass had been good for something. Gathering her wits about her, Faye gave Pierre a lopsided smile and titled her head to the side.

Faye settled back in her seat, trying to image that the man she was seeing was Spike, no matter how hard or painful it was. "How's Fanny? Still sleeping peacefully?" She heard a small growl from Pierre but she was amazed that he managed to keep that twisted smile on his face, not showing any other emotions besides the mocking one.

Pierre played off of her remark and leaned back also. "Ah, ma petite, Dragonetti's can take a lot more than a simple hit to their heads. In fact, François wanted to send his regards." Faye sucked back in a gasp when a plan suddenly buzzed passed her, nearly missing her.

Faye lips curled into a sinister smile as she watched the plan fly up into the clouds again, her fingers flying over the controls arming her newly acquired weapons. "It would appear that any Dragonetti's would have to take more than a simple blow to the head, seeing how you have you're head shoved so far up Fanny's ass . . ."

The grin was suddenly gone from Pierre's face, and he glared down at her through the pixilated screen. "You don't know who you challenge, mademoiselle."

Faye raised an eyebrow and would have crossed her arms had she not been flying. "Oh? I believe I do. It's not everyday you meet a guy who loves the smell of his brother's ass as much as you do." Faye was suddenly jolted forward, slamming into the side of the Red Tail as a few bullets sparked around her.

Faye clutched the controls to balance and looked up to see an irate Pierre glaring at her through the screen. Faye pulled her Red Tail under control again and met his hard gaze with one of her own. "Mind your manner, mademoiselle. I am not as forgiving as my brother. Of course if you come with me quietly, we could make certain arrangements to make it a more. . . pleasurable form of torture."

Faye forced down the urge to gag and managed to keep her placid features in place. "It would be difficult for any woman to derive any pleasure from a night with a man who had a dick as small as you do." Faye's sneer faded as she was suddenly as she was jolted into the side of her Red Tail again as another round of bullets sparked to life about her ship. She looked down at the screen to see Pierre's anger flushed face staring at her with beady eyes.

"Still up to the challenge, mademoiselle?" His voice was icy and Faye could only crack a grin through the pain in her shoulder. She realized that like Spike, all she had to do was press the right buttons. With Pierre it was only a matter of questioning his manhood.

"Ah, _Miniscule_ Dragonetti, the size of your manhood will never present a challenge . . . wait, I take that back . . . the challenge will be finding it." Faye grinned as she watched Pierre's face darken. He turned to face off the screen and Faye risked a glance back to see the ships spreading into an attack formation.

Faye took a deep breath to prepare before Pierre's voice brought her eyes back down to the screen. Pierre was giving Faye his flashiest smile. "Bon soir, mademoiselle." Suddenly the connection shorted out and Faye was left with a blank screen. In the next seconds she was rocked violently into the side of the Red Tail for the third time, and she gave a cry of shock more than pain as her head slammed into the glass of the hatch. As the rumbling of the other engine died off, Faye brought a hand up to rub the side of her head, one eyes scrunched closed. Faye peered out along the reddish expanse of the dawn, eyes widening as several golden glints caught her eyes.

"Shit." Faye's hands were back on the controls, as she rolled to avoid the volley of bullets that were aimed at her, glinting gold in the new morning sun. Faye felt a wave of dizziness sweep over her as the Red Tail straightened out, shaking the feeling off she glanced out of the corner of her eye to see several aircrafts drop down after her, following closely on her tail.

"Looks like they want to play. I hope they like it rough." Faye checked her systems over once, weaving back and forth to avoid the bombardment of bullets that were pelting her ship, and barely looked up in time to see one ship drop out from above her. Faye banked to the right, barely getting enough distant between the two ships to only have a scrap of a collision. Both ships sparked at the contact and went into a diving spin. Faye growled as she pulled at the controls, feeling her stomach leap into her throat as she finally gained control of the Red Tail, pulling it out of the dive just a few measly feet above the ground. Through her twirling vision she saw the other ship crash into a nearby tree, before it skidded across the rocky landscape.

Faye looked to her left to see the four remaining ships zooming towards her, and quickly got the thrusters back online, kicking up dust and dirt as the Red Tail jolted into motion and began a steady upwards climb. Faye leaned back into her seat, the momentum of the ship and the force of gravity pinning her to the seat back while the pangs of bullets echoed about in her ears. "Come on, keep flying you cowards." Faye murmured as she pulled level with some clouds. At the last second she banked to the left, tilting the controls so the Red Tail did a complete one eighty and fired one of her missiles. It was with a great hiss that the missile launched in a flare of heated air, and only seconds later that it collided with the ship farthest to the left exploding in a rain of fire and metal debris.

Faye quickly followed the missile with a round of loose bullets, clipping one of the ships in the middle in the engine and watched as it went down in a hazy smoke. "Is that all you got?" Faye forced the Red Tail to split between the two remaining ships before she pulled up even higher into the clouds, punching at the buttons about the console as she prepare for the next barrage. Faye gave a growl of annoyance as her ship was clipped by another round of bullets, and quickly grasped the controls before sending the Red Tail into another plummeting roll. Pulling out once she had left the safe haven of the clouds and spinning the ship about to go in the opposite direction.

It was only when she believe that she had gain a little distance between the two ships did Faye hear the growing hiss approaching from her rear. Flipping on the monitor, she ran a scan of the surrounding area and watched as a white dot was quickly approaching her. "A missile?" Just as the missile drew closer to released a couple of barrels that exploded in its path only to frown when she glanced at the monitor at it apparently missed it's target. "It has to be heat seeking." Faye looked about the panel trying to find any means of escape. As a last resort, Faye slammed on the breaks and yanked hard against the controls, sending the Red Tail into a stall but sending it looping over the missile.

Faye allowed the Red Tail to fall for several seconds before she pulled against its weight again, this time straining to save herself from plummeting to certain death. It was only when the engine roared with new life and shot forward again, did Faye notice that the missile had followed her loop and was once again on her ass. Faye quickly scanned the sky, an enemy attack ship had never been a more welcome sight that an that moment. Giving a boost to her thrusters, Faye launched higher into the air, the droning hiss of the missile gaining on her as she made a beeline straight for it. "How about a game of chicken?"

Apparently the flyer never expect to see her coming back at him, for he didn't notice her until she was right on top of him. At the last moment Faye cut her engine and went sliding into a free fall, barely managing to pass under the other ship untouched, and flare the thrusters to life once she had passed her target. The other ship didn't have time to react and burst into a large ball of flame as the missile locked onto its heat source. Faye gave a victorious cry weaving her way back up into the clouds before she dealt with the last ship.

Faye glanced about the fluffy white mess that she found herself in as she moved slowly about, reloading her gun with another round of bullets, having already used her only missile. Faye looked up started as a sharp object pelted into her windshield, swiftly followed by several more. Faye glanced about in shock, trying to find the source of the debris. Slowly she watched as the puffy white clouds turned into a darkened gray and small chunk of debris flanking the sides of her ship. It was in this horrifying moment that all reality came back to Faye as she realized what she was flying over. Without a second thought, Faye dove into the soot blackened clouds towards the crash sight of the Bebop. Faye felt her stomach tighten as her eyes settled upon several melted hunks of metal; so many that they had littered the ground for about an acre.

Faye looked at the biggest part of the ship, saddened that she couldn't even tell what part it was. This was what she hadn't wanted Edward to see, the remains of a home that had brought so much joy compacted down to a smoldering piece of junk. Faye was brought back to a state of alertness when her ship rattled with a round of bullets, and a warning siren began to blare in her ship. Faye could do little but watch, as the Red Tail went into a downward spiral, her head banging and busting her lips as the Red Tail flipped over. She cursed herself for forgetting about the enemy in her shock, but the sight of the bebop had been too much, and she couldn't help but think of Spike's and Jet's battered and burnt bodies trapped beneath the heated metal remains.

The next thing Faye knew she was struggling to climb out of the Red Tail, her head still spinning from the fall, and was soon retching on the hard rocky earth besides her wreckage. As far as she could tell nothing was broken with the exception of her lower lip. Flopping onto the stony ground she looked up as the last attack ship landed lightly on the ground next to her, the hatch opening to reveal a tall slender man. Faye was too hazy to move as she realized that the man was Pierre, and she found that she really didn't care.

His scuffing footsteps stopped just in front of her, both hands stuffed deep within the pockets of his coat, reminding her painfully of Spike's usual nonchalant attitude. He slowly leaned down and grabbed Faye by the scalp of her hair and painfully pulled her to her feet. Faye staggered her world still spinning from her crash, and fell back to her knees. Pierre released her hair and slowly knelt beside her form brushing some dirt from her face.

"Ah, mademoiselle. It had not been a good day for you." Pierre raised an eyebrow as Faye spit some blood from out of her mouth. He quirked a bemused smile as he brushed some hair from out of her face and roughly grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him. He smiled fiercely as he looked into her emerald eyes. "Are you ready to come quietly, mademoiselle?"

Faye pushed his hand away, leaning back and stared up at Pierre's sun silhouetted face. She gave him a bloody grin bringing the back of her hand to wipe away the blood that was freely pouring down her lip and spit the rest that had gathered in her mouth onto Pierre's pants. She smiled at Pierre's disgusted frown and softly cleared her throat. "Has your dick gotten any bigger?" Faye could only laugh as she registered Pierre's annoyed growl before everything went black.

AN: _Woo Hoo! Another Day, another chapter. Updates coming in a bit slower, but this chapter surprised me to say the least. I wasn't expecting most of it, but it fits. I believe this is another one of those down chapters, will get a bit more exciting next chapter… I already know what's coming. I just have to write it! Thanks to those who gave me their opinions on the French, majority want it on the bottom so. . . it's on the bottom! Anyway, tell me what you think, translations are at the bottom. See you next chapter! Take it easy! Love and Peace All! And in the end. . . it all comes down to this._

_Bonjour, mademoiselle_ – Hello Miss.

_Un moment, s'il vous plait_ – One moment, please

_ma petite_ – my little (literal) think of it as a term of affection for a girlfriend, think sweetheart, honey, baby, etc.

_Bon soir_ – goodnight

_**CarolinaWhiteRose**_: (Grins) Author of your dreams (blush blush). I know I killed Ein… sorry. Yes, I blew up the bebop… KABOOM! I wanted to mix things up a bit. But it keeps things interesting. And really I don't see too many other fics in which people blow up the ship… I thought it was a bit of a change. And now I've added Jinni. She should be an interesting character to work with in the future… (winks) Thanks you for your review! As always it brightens my day! And yes, definitely have some more, and more, and more, and more, and more, and more, and more. hee hee. Take it easy!

_**KittyVicious**_: I like it when it's intense, keeps things interesting. Everybody hates me because I killed off a dog… SORRY! I didn't mean it… I would cry if my puppy died… I just didn't have any purpose or room for poor little Ein at the moment. I promise I will never kill of the dog again! Till next chapter!

_**Dannie-chan**_: Eep! It appears that all my chapters blow you away, just like you continuously blow me away with your reviews! As always I love them! Such amusement in such a short space! LMAO! I promise that I will answer all your questions in the future… but for now I must leave you in the dark. Being in the dark isn't so bad is it? And indeed **warts work in mysterious ways**, especially my warts… shh… don't tell anyone that's where I get my demented ideas from… my warts talk to me! I just have to find out where they are hiding. (winks) Take it easy! Much love!

**_XHatori-SohmaX:_** Did I really shock you that much? Uh-oh… is that a good thing or a bad thing? (Winks) Sorry… bebop went bye bye… and I have a feeling that people might kill me because of that… Till next chapter!

_**Firevixen73**_: I update for reviewers like you! I am so impatient when it comes to people updating stories… so I try to do it often… but the only problem when I do that is I feel that the chapters aren't that good… hm. We'll see what you think of this chapter! Take it easy! Loves!

**_Jadedghostgurl:_** Thank you! I do try very hard to make it good, but I don't think it kicks ass…It's still missing something to reach that level. Yes don't worry it's a romance, and there is no way that I could kill an ass like Spike… he's too precious to my heart… of course that doesn't mean that I'm not going to mess with him! (winks) Till next chapter!

_**Kendra Luehr**_: I hope to keep the twists coming, I got a complaint about ending in a cliffhanger, (frowns) but I think cliffhangers are what keep people coming back. I hate when I'm reading cliffhangers, but it some how keeps me craving for more… so. Guess what… Oh la la, is an actual French word! It's an expression used to display surprise, shock, or if you see something you like… take for example. "Oh la la, look at how cute Spike and Faye are as a couple!" (sweatdrops) Okay so that wasn't the best example, but I think it fits! Thank you! Isn't it scary how fast you get older! Eek, I still can't get over being twenty. Anyways, much love! Take it easy!

**_xDianaMoonx_**: Yeah, sorry about that chapter I knew it was confusing and that's exactly what happens when I try to update quickly… things get screwed up… oh well. Ah! You figured me out with the nightmares (sweatdrops) I'm just going to be a bit more sneaky. Yes, I like it when Faye escapes on her own, I get sick of Faye always relying on Spike…but there are times when it can be cute… (flips open favorites) check out When Nothing Good Comes From Earth… there's a great cute story! Now if only they'd finish writing… (grumbles). Anyways, Till next chapter! Loves!

_**Ni9htdreame12**_: I'm mean? (frowns) I don't want to be mean… I'm not mean! At least I try not to be (grins evilly with horns sprouting out the top of her head) okay, so I was mean to end the chapter that way… but it made you come back, didn't it? That's my mission… keep the readers reading! LOL. Take it easy!

**_Angels Heart 1622_**: Five in the morning? Why in the world would you force yourself to be up at that horrible hour? Eek. I used to have to go to work at that time… believe me that didn't last very long. So, you think it was an all right chapter? How about this one? Still good? Till Next Time!

**_Lilpinkpookie_**: Sorry! I just thought it was something different; there aren't too many people out there who blow up the bebop. And it's just a ship… well okay, maybe it's not just a ship but… (sighs) Sorry. (goes to the wall and starts banging her head) I. Will. Never. Blow. Up. The. Bebop. Again. Take it easy!

_**Katsuko:**_ Thank you! I feel like this chapter took FOREVER to get out! But I have a feeling that chapters are going to have bigger and bigger gaps between them as the year goes on… but I promise, that if I keep getting reviews like this, I'll do everything in my power to update quickly! Till Next Time!

_**Kyra1**_: I know I'm evil… I just didn't have any place to put Ein… and I didn't want to forget about him, so I did the next best thing. I killed him. Just think of it this way. He died protecting Edward! LOL.

I really thought about having Spike wake up and catch her, but I thought it would be too predictable, so I let her escape. I was surprised with how pleased I was with the Dragonetti scene. I didn't think it would turn out as well as it did, especially since a lot of it was in French. Eek! Now I just hope I keep them in character in the chapters to come.

Really I probably don't write all that much faster than you, I just write when I'm not supposed too aka at work. I act like I'm doing the paperwork of your friendly moving company dispatcher when really I'm writing about Spike and Faye (Grins sheepishly) I get lucky. I know… I am going to die in school. 21 hours … just put me out of my misery now please.

Ahh, you really think, my story is true to the show? Now that's the best review I have received yet. That is what I am trying to strive for and to hear that I am succeeding, even a little. Thank you. (Wipes away tears) Anways, much love! See you next time. Take it easy!

_**BloodCrested**_: Ah! Your back! (Jumps up and down in excitement) I know I blew up the Bebop. KABLAMO! KABOOM! KASPLAT! Okay… anyways. I hope this chapter lives up to the others! Till next time! Take it easy!

**_Oyuki_**: I was hoping that was as funny as I pictured it… I thought maybe I over did the make-up scene. I'll let you guys in on the fate of Spike and Jet soon… but for, in the dark you will remain. I hope this was soon enough to whet your hunger for more chapters! Till next time!

**_Tabby_**: Thank you! That's what I love to hear, people enjoying my work! (Blush) like reading a book you can't put down? That's my dream come true! Well, I'm aiming to be an author some day… but I don't think I have the talent. But I'll keep working on it! And at the moment… this is my published work! So I write for my readers happiness! Much love! Till next time!

_**Breezy1028**_: Oh-great-Breezy! How I love your reviews! I know what you mean, if my doggy died… can't even think about that. I just hope that this chapter keeps your interest, it was a little bit of a watered down one, especially trailing the one where the Bebop blew up… eep! Anyways, Till Next Time!

**_Nusia:_** Thanks! I try to update often, keeps readers happy… and hopefully keeps me from getting flamed…which I don't mind, but I still like that happy reviews a lot better… keeps my mood up. Take it easy!

_**GreyInkPen**_: Here, here! Take a deep breath! Phew! I updated as quickly as I could. Hope it's still meeting the standards of my other chapters! Till Next Time! See ya!

**_Zottie_**: Eep! LMAO! I know, I'm horrible. Just put the gun down and I can fix things… I swear. (Winks) I know… French is definitely not my favorite language… but it's the only foreign language I know how to speak… well I can speak it a little. Hee hee. Don't worry I could never kill of the men of the Bebop! (And hey, nothing is EVER too much! Especially when it comes to reviewing and writing fanfiction!) Much Love! Take it easy!

_**MelodyFaith**_: (Grins!) That's my purpose in life, to make great cliffhangers! I can't let you know what I'm plotting just yet… I have to keep you in the dark a little longer. I love it when Faye kicks ass, she never had her full potential to do so in the series, so I'm giving her a chance here! Just like Edward… though I hid her away for now… but I have many more plans for her… no worries. And here is (definitely) to more Spike/Faye moments (raises her glass) Cheers! Take it easy!

**_Kuro-Ippikiookami21_**: I was hoping to add a little flavor when I put the French in, I didn't see much cultural diversity in the series so I thought I would add a bit of my own. And you read my mind, I thought that it would blow up too… if Spike survived. He's a wanted man! Thank you! It feels weird being twenty… it won't be long now until I start turning gray… AHH! Evil thoughts Evil Thought! (Runs away) Take it easy!

_**Shola:**_ Hee hee! I love it when people are so happy with it! Makes me write more and more and more! I live to keep people interest in reading. I hope I continue to do so! Till Next time!

_**Animecatdragon**_: Relative can get crazy! I would never dream of leaving this fic for months and months… although I feel kinda bad because that's what I'm doing to my other story… but I lost some interest in it… eep! But not this one! Nope, this story is flowing freely from my fingertips day after day. I hope this was quick enough! Although it's not as entertaining as the last chapter, a bit watered down, but hopefully still keeping people on their toes! Take it easy!

_**Angelfrommynightmare33**_: Ah, another happy reader. That makes my day. The bebop explosion will be explained in chapters to come… by one of the lions syndicate members… however stupid that name sounds. Take it easy!


	8. Chapter 7

_AN: Notes at bottom… beware lots of French in this one!_

Disclaimer – I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

The Last Fragments Of you

Alternative Therapy

Chapter Seven

"Vous aviez recherché quatre heures." François's tone was short and to the point. He had long since become fed up with the inability, the ineptness of his men. The young guard standing before the older man just dropped his eyes to the ground, the slight tremble that ran through every nerve in his system clearly expressing his weary and fearful feelings.

"Pardonne-moi, Monsieur. Il y a un grand secteur à couvrir, mais je commence à suspecter que les deux homes-"

"Assez!" François's angry roar quickly silenced the younger man, he knew better than to continue not wanting to face François's wrath. "Je vous ai dit que il y a une heure cela que j'ai compté voir des résultats. Vous avez ne produisez pas." François slowly lowered his hand to the side of his desk and pulled open the top drawer. He slowly straightened to reveal a large gun and a box of bullets. He slowly began to load the gun, purposely showing the guard each separate bullet that went into it. The young guard softly shook his head, and stepped back, bringing his hands up in his defense.

"S'il vous plait, monsieur. Donnez-moi une autre chance –" The young guard never had a chance to finish his sentence as François leveled the barrel in his direction and fired.

The loud crack of the gun was accompanied as the young man's body slumped to the floor, blood flying around the room. François idly reached up to wipe some blood off his cheek, a twisted smile pulling at his features. He slowly lowered the gun to his desk, an empty bullet shell rolling about the desk. He looked up at the two guards that were stationed on either side of the body and gave them a penetrating look. "Je ne m'attends pas à l'échec. "

Faye was jolted into awareness at the loud crack that echoed faintly from the hall. She had awakened several hours ago to see several soldiers standing about the sparsely furnished room, both hands and legs bound by a thick rope. Faye had tried several methods to get the guard to speak, but no matter what she said her verbal attacks on fell on deaf ears. So with little else to do but listen to the guards soft breathing, she grumpily settled down into the couch she had been thrown upon and closed her eyes.

Now Faye's eyes slowly slide open narrowing to fight the florescent lights assault on her pupils. She grimaced as her eyes adjusted to the glare and blinked several times before she was able to look about the room shocked to find that the number of guards had significantly decreased while she hung in a limbo between conscious and unconsciousness. The one guard left in the room was stood slumped against the far wall, his head titled so he could more easily stare out the only window in the room, completely oblivious to wakefulness of his captive.

Faye turned her shaded kiwi gaze back to the ceiling, and slowly started to fiddle with her bonds, twisting her wrists in an attempt to loosen the rope. She struggled with it for several minutes before she slowly lifted her head to get a better look at the knot that held her, the movement causing her entire head to unexpectedly throb. A small groan escaped her lips and the world about her shimmered in a haze leaving Faye wondering if she had a concussion. The sound drew the attention of the guard, his gray eyes sliding in her direction and the smallest hint of a smile cutting across his placid features. "Ah, mademoiselle. Vous êtes finalement éveillé." The groggy French tone made Faye turn to look at the guard as he slowly straightened, stretched and walked towards the door. Faye listened to the mumble of French tones as the single guard talked to a man on the other side.

While the man's back was turned, Faye struggled uselessly to loosen the rope about her wrists again, feeling the slight burning as it rubbed against her tender skin. "D'accord." Her guards voice was loud as he slowly shut the door and turned back to eye her struggling form. A tight lipped smile crossed his face as he paused beside the door that kept her from reading his emotions.

Faye's world shimmered in a haze again and frustration at being so easily caught frustrated her to no end. She watched as the guard slowly approached her, his watchful eyes never leaving hers. "What are _you_ looking at?" Faye's demand came out in the low undistinguished croak of a voice that had not been used for a while. The guard's smile reverted into a large grin as he slowly kneeled next to her.

His leaned close to the side of her head and whispered softly into her ear. "You're pathetic form." The English was rich and vibrant, leaving Faye to believe that it was his first, and natural language. "Is your head foggy? Don't worry, you it will pass, they drugged you up a bit to keep you asleep. But besides that I am sure that you would have a nasty little headache after a crash like you had." The guard reached out, cupped his hand around her shoulder and slowly pulled her into sitting position, his amusement increasing as her expression deepened into a frown at the new information and the shimmering haze that once again clouded her head. Once Faye had been righted, the guard stepped back to admire her, putting a hand on the jutting bone in his hip. "Obviously Pierre did not enjoy talking with you."

Faye raised an eyebrow. "Obviously." Faye tried to rub her sore lip but found it hard to do so with her hands bound. The guard didn't speak but inspected her small frame, a look of concern creasing his features as his eyes fell to her bound legs. He carefully unclasped a knife from his belt and took several steps forward only pausing to give Faye a serious look and slightly threatening look.

"You should be careful what you say about the size of his . . . weapon. It doesn't appear he likes it when people think it's . . .small." Faye felt her eyebrow arch even higher but restrained from saying anything, instead she watched as the guard lowered the tip of the blade closer to her chest, a wicked smile crossing his face. "Now just stay still." Faye watched his slow movements her gaze calculating his actions and speed. She had been threatened enough times to know when the threat was really serious. She had seen a hesitation in Pierre and even went as far to challenge how far his poise and anger could be stretched as she made snide comments on his manhood. Now she saw it in this man, the same hesitation that told her he would not kill her so easily.

Faye's lips curled into a smirk as the guard pressed the blade into her chest, softly indenting the skin to the point where it did not draw blood, his eyes hardening. Faye leaned forward so the tip of the blade dug even deeper into her chest and watched his eyes shift uncomfortably. "It would appear that your "weapon" is just as big as Pierre's." The man suddenly backed off, looking slightly frazzled, but managed to keep his eyes hard and forceful. Killing without reason was obviously not up this man's alley. Faye rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh before she leaned back into the couch, the excitement gone as quickly as it started. "You make weak threats."

The guard jolted at the words but seemed to catch on to what Faye had been doing. An odd smile crossed over his lips as he adjusted his grip on the knife and twisted about his fingers and straightened out of his threatening lean. "You have a loud mouth." The playful tone caused Faye to jolt, a skeptical look crossing her face. She had never known any captures to be . . . playful with her or so damn truthful and all knowing for that matter.

The guard let out a sigh as he slowly knelt down beside her feet, got a better grip on the knife and peered cautiously up at her. "Stay still, I wouldn't want to cut you." He slowly cut through the rope that was wrapped tightly about her ankles, unwinding the remaining strands off her legs and throwing them behind the couch before he stood to admire his work. "There you go." He turned on his heel and slowly started to walk back to his position by the door only pausing to shove the knife back into its place on his belt and glance over his shoulder at her. His voice was suddenly very serious, and his eyes were a little downcast. "Pierre will be here shortly . . . he likes a struggle."

Faye tried to repress a shiver that traveled down her back with little success and looked through widened eyes as the guard settled against the wall again. Faye took a giant swallow, an uneasy feeling curling at her sides. Faye shifted uncomfortably as she looked towards the window and felt the guards eyes on her. She refused to show him how his off-handed comment had unnerved her, even when his gaze was looking no where near her, but had followed hers to the slowly darkening window, she played it off like it was nothing in an attempt to comfort herself, not surprised when it wasn't working.

So she did the next best thing, she tried to draw her attention to something else. Licking her dry, cracked lips, Faye managed to pull off a smug smile and slowly crossed her newly freed legs, a prickle of imaginary needles traveling up the nerves that had put her entire like to sleep. "You're not French." Faye's voice loudly shattered the heavy silence that had fallen between the pair, and she could hear the slight tinge of nervousness that had been coated over uncaring tone. The guards gray eyes slowly shifted back over to her, his face completely bland and almost unseeing, as if nothing in the world could affect him.

They stared at each other, both in a stalemate until Faye worked up the courage to continue, something about his nonexistent emotions putting her off slightly. "The Lions are a French Syndicate, aren't they? The last fragments of the original French people from Earth before the Gate Explosion." Faye's slightly sarcastic tone dropped as the guards face remained neutral and she sighed like she had been told off. "Look, I only brought this up because I thought that the Lions were purely French, people who came off from that colony or whatever. And you're French accent in your English is nonexistent. You can't tell me that you grew up on that colony and learned to speak English that fluently!"

Faye's tone was getting more and more frustrated as she pressed on, the guard not showing any signs of emotion. The guard was the complete definition of an enigma. His gray eyes were slowly roving over Faye's disheveled hair and wrinkled clothes before his eyes made contact with hers. His lips split slowly as if he was choosing his word carefully before he spoke; his tone was low and words were spoken slowly. "Careful, mademoiselle, such thoughts will not lead to anything good." His transition into French was so smooth that it took Faye a moment to realize he had switched. "Particulièrement si vous voulez continuer à vivre. Vos cammaredes n'ont pas écouté les Lions et regardez où cela les a mené. Kaboom. Les hommes peuvent être très obstiné." The thick French accent sounded almost as natural as the English, but the roll of his 'r' was not as smoothly gruff as Pierre's or François's.

Faye narrowed her eyes and would have folded her arms across her chest if her hands had been free. She was beyond frustrated with the French language. "Speaking in tongues, is that all the members of your syndicate is good for?"

The guard noted her anger and spoke in English, his tone light and though it had a calming effect, it still rattled Faye's weary nerves. "Not my syndicate." Faye's eyes narrowed at the words but she bit her tongue as the guard pressed on. "Just remember my warning, mademoiselle. His tolerance for your tongue has reached its limits. As apparently you have reached yours for listening."

Faye frowned at the comment and pushed his warning aside, turning her nose up to him. "An empty threat. I've lived around an intolerant bastard for too long to be concerned about the frailty of my skin." Faye sighed, the thought of Spike causing her throat to tighten with emotion. How many times had she exchanged angry words with that arrogant man only to forget about it later? Now the memory of their last exchange was forming a tempest of raging emotions within her. Faye couldn't stop thinking about his angry tone, the concern that she couldn't see in his eyes until it was too late; until there was no chance of seeing it again.

"Suit yourself, mademoiselle." The French rung in Faye's ears as the tempest slowly raged from the pit of her stomach and slowly rose, There was no denying that she had reached her limits with the French language, the language that appeared to be the source of all her problems at the moment. Faye ground her teeth and shook her head, trying, without much success, to rein back the anger at the French. She hated the language.

"Don't call me 'mademoiselle'!" Faye's rage erupted in a scream, her fingers digging into the palms of her hands as she struggled to keep a hold on herself. She knew losing her head was not what she needed at the moment. But there was too much of everything piling up to keep it at bay, she wanted to scream, to kick, to kill. Faye thrashed wildly against her bonds, pulling at them with all her strength. Faye doubled over, screaming as if in pain, screaming for her sanity and jolted into silence a pleading voice sliced through all her hate.

"_'So please, promise, promise me that you'll come back for this child.'_" Jinni's voice was an electric jolt that traveled down her spine. Faye lay still on the leather couch, tears dripping out of the corners of her eyes, her ragged breathing heaving her chest as she slowly calmed. "_'I know she can believe in you.'_" Faye slowly pushed herself into sitting position, and silently dashed the tears out of her eyes, not looking towards the guard. Yes, Edward could believe in her. She would let Edward believe in her and she would keep her promise. She would come back for Edward, she would survive.

Faye slowly turned her gaze to the guard, to see him watching her with a raised eyebrow. Faye softly cleared her throat, her eyes stiffening into determination. "Don't call me 'mademoiselle'." Her voice was stiff with anger and the guard vaguely nodded.

The guard had tensed at her sudden outburst, and remained tense even though he acted as though nothing had happened. "Then what should I call you?" Faye registered the unease in his voice, the first time she had managed to make this solid monotone being show any sort of emotion. It vaguely reminded her of how uneasy bounties became around her, when she was seducing them. A small smile crossed her lips as she slowly as she slowly stood on her shaky legs, her world shimmering in a drug-induced haze, and struggled to make her movements smooth and steady as she slowly sauntered up to the guard. She stopped a few paces in front of him and softly cocked her hip to accentuate her curves. Faye's eyes slowly hazed over as her world swayed violently and she prayed that her inability to move without the queasy feeling that clenched her gut wasn't noticeable.

Faye blinked the haze away and widely smiled, blood rushing towards her bottom lip as the split broke open even farther. "Faye. My name is Faye." Her words came out at a familiar sultry level, one that had been used on a countless number of bounties. Faye slowly pursed her lips into a small pout and feebly lifted her hands to show the guard her fruitless struggle against the ropes. "But it's not really fair. You see, you know my name . . . but I didn't catch yours." Her voice dripped into an even softer tone, edging dangerously close to the husky level she had used on so many bounties.

Faye shifted again allowing the guard to get a better look at her, the innocent and feeble woman was the kind most guys liked, and Faye hoped that this man was the same.

The guards lips slowly broke into a fierce disheartening grin. "Beautiful and lethal. You are most certainly dangerous." The guard stepped closer to Faye, eyes unwavering from hers. "As are your words. I'm sure plenty of men have fallen to your word games." Faye felt her throat clench, any hope she had painfully twisting away from her gut and leaving her with an empty feeling as her game was uncovered. The guard chuckled at the soft growl that emanated from the back of her throat. "You are very good at that little game, I probably would have fallen had I not been keen to you." Faye didn't answer but huffed and looked away biting down on her tongue. "But, just for you, miss. My name is Reeves."

Faye's narrowed gaze fell back to Reeves who dipped his head slightly. Faye refused to believe that she failed to win a man over, for she was Faye Valentine who had spent all her years post-cryo learning how to seduce men to get what she wanted. Seduction was her best skill when it came to bounty hunting and to see it be tarnished by this emotionless man made her skin boil. Raising an eyebrow, she licked her upper lip before she leveled out her tone to her huskiest level. "Who says I'm playing games?"

Reeves softly sighed and very sudden reached out grabbing her good arm only to spin her about and press her into the wall. He molded his body into hers, his hands softly pushing several strands of her hair out of her face. Faye froze as his other arm that had been tightly wrapped about her waist, slowly dipped sliding round the curve of her butt cheek and softly squeezing it. Faye's heart rate increased as he slowly leaned his face close to hers, the heat of his breath flushing her skin into gooseflesh. Faye felt her breath hitch as she tried to force out the next words. "Just unbind my hands . . . and we'll see if I'm playing." Faye gasped as the Reeves's lips gently brushed against her ear, sending a tingle down her spine.

"Many men would find you very attractive. But you certainly can not please everyone . . . although it seems that you have tried." Faye barely had time to comprehend his words before he spun her about and sent her spiraling back in the direction of the couch. Faye grunted as she hit the cool, stiff leather, her world slowly coming back into focus only to be overwhelmed by a thick, untamed rage.

"W-what?" Faye pulled against her bindings, her entire body shaking as she struggled to stand. "How _dare_ you! How dare you call me a whore!" It felt like she had been slapped across the face. A man she hardly knew had called her what Spike had told her she was all along. And this man was part of the group that had blown up her home, and more than likely killed her family. Faye wanted nothing more than to rip Reeves eyes out. "You goddamn son of a bitch!" Her words hissed out from the spaces of her clenched teeth.

Faye swung her bound hands wildly towards Reeves, who easily blocked the blow. Faye struggled to pull her arms free to hit him again, especially as Reeves started to uncontrollably laugh, his whole body shaking with the effort to keep from hunkering over. He struggled to speak with as much sincerity as he could force out of his gut. He had to wait until he had gained a little control, soft murmurs of laughter breaking through his speech when he finally explained. "You misunderstand. I didn't mean to call you a whore, no far from that. I just meant that for some men, including myself, you don't have the right . . . shall we say . . . equipment." His words turned all of Faye's rage to ice, leaving her standing in the middle of the room, blinking dumbly with a dazed look hatched onto her face.

Faye's mouth slowly dropped open as she received a shock much like the one she had gotten from Gren. Faye couldn't stop in time to keep the next set of brash words from tumbling out. "You're . . . Gay?"

Reeves cast Faye a distasteful look and turned his nose up at her. "Just be careful, girl. Remember what I said about Pierre." His words were cool and Faye felt a pang of regret but quickly shoved it away, this man was holding her against her will. Faye opened her mouth to slap him with a rash retort but three sharp knocks on the door cut her off. Reeves softly cleared his throat and cast Faye a frosty smile.

"Why should I trust you?" Faye spoke quickly, wanting to get the final word in before he opened the door to reveal Pierre. "Haven't you ever heard that you should never trust a Frenchmen?" She glared up at Reeves who had stopped to look at her; his blank stare was focused on something passed her.

A lofty smile cut across his features and he merely shrugged. "I will admit you were right about one thing, Faye. I'm not French." The doorknob rattled with another set of knocks and Reeves quickly walked over to the door. There was a noticeable hesitation in his movements as he slowly pulled open the door to reveal Pierre, and Faye noted how Reeves left hand went to grasp the hilt of his knife, shoulders tense. Pierre's lean form was silhouetted by the light that filtered in from the hall, effectively masking his leering face from view.

"Monsieur Dragonetti." Reeves had smoothly reverted back into French but Pierre didn't bother to turn to acknowledge him, instead he raised his hand absentmindedly to wave him off. Reeves frown but didn't back down. "Monsieur." His voice held more force to it, and hardened in pitch. Faye wasn't sure what Reeves was up too, but she had to admit that he had some guts to stand up to his commanding officer the way he was.

Faye watched as Pierre's smug face turned to one of annoyance. "Je crois que je vous ai écarté." Pierre's words were ground out that left little room for argument. Reeves faltered and shifted in uncertainty before he nodded and bowed in defeat.

Reeves tone was chipped and cold when he next spoke. "Oui, Monsieur Dragonetti." Faye's eyes never moved away from Pierre's hardened face fearing that if she looked away she might miss something important, that she might miss her chance to attack. Reeves shot one last glance at Faye before he turned to leave, the door clicking softly shut after him.

Pierre took several steps forward and wrapped his long, slender fingers about the thick rope that bound Faye's wrists. Faye kept her face neutral as Pierre slowly pulled her closer to him. "You've been a little banged up, mademoiselle." Pierre softly grabbed her chin with his free hand and ran the pad of his thumb across the swollen split on her bottom lip. "Such a shame to have such beauty marred." Faye jerked her head away from his grasp, feeling heated anger building in her chest. Pierre eyed her silently, hand falling back to his side with a sigh of disappointment. "You are holding back. Where is that fiery spirit of yours, mademoiselle?"

Faye remained silent and didn't resist as Pierre tugged violently at her bonds again, his body pressing demandingly against hers. She didn't dare turn her gaze away from the wall where she had glued them, knowing that if she did he would see her 'fiery spirit' and more than likely, a close view of the shoe that adorned her foot. When even their proximity didn't get a rise out of her, Pierre harshly grabbed her bandaged forearm and smiled nastily as she winced in pain. "Did that spirit die along with your comrades?"

That broke Faye's restraints and she viciously yanked her hands free of Pierre's hold, surprised by how easily she broke free. It was only when she heard Pierre's scream of pain that she realized that at the same time she had brutally brought her knee up into his groin. Faye bared her teeth in a snarling smile, her words dropping from her lips in a hiss. "Fuck . . .you!" Faye brought her hands down over the top of his head as he doubled over in pain. "You. . . goddamn. . . French bastard!" Faye swung her arms upwards again, connecting with Pierre's nose as her hands bashed into his downward facing face. Faye took several unsteady steps back, giving Pierre room to slowly sink to his knees, blood freely spurting from his nostrils as he moaned in pain.

Faye smiled mercilessly and slowly lifted her foot pressing it into his chest, knocking him to the floor. Faye stood there breathing for several seconds before she moved to step over him, when Pierre suddenly reached out, wrenching her foot from beneath her, and sent her toppling forward. Faye choked out a gasp as she slammed into the floor, the air forcefully pushing out of her lungs with the impact.

Faye lay dazed on the floor, her vision blurring in and out of focus at the unexpected swift motion. By the time she had gained her wits about her, Pierre was hauling her to her feet by the scalp of her hair. "Stupide femme." Pierre's angry tone was followed by a painful punch to Faye's gut. "Vous devriez apprendre votre endroit." Pierre wiped some blood from one of his nostrils with the back of his hand, his left hand still gripping her scalp. "Poor, lost little girl. Time to meet your maker."

Pierre hurled Faye forward, and her hunched body hit the floor with a solid thud before she slide to a stop up against the door. Faye groaned as she slowly pushed up onto her knees and cast a glance over her shoulder to see Pierre pulling out his gun. He slowly stalked around to her front, and pressed the cold steel of the barrel into her temple, his eyes narrowing with anger as he reached out and hauled her up by her good wrist.

Faye allowed Pierre to pull her to her feet, clamping her lips closed as she could feel some blood swelling into her mouth. Faye stumbled as Pierre wrenched her around as he opened the door and forcibly flung her through it. Faye stumbled and rammed painfully into the wall, the drug-induced haze suddenly clearing with the pain that shot through her bandaged wrist. Faye leaned against the wall and quickly muted her cry of pain, not wanting Pierre the satisfaction of hearing her scream. Pierre suddenly whipped her about to face him, and her face slipped into its neutral mask as he pressed his body against hers, his hands finding and molding to the curves of her body. "Very lovely."

Pierre's eyes roved up and down her body before he tilted his head and lowered his face till it was inches from her. He inhaled deeply, a sinister smile pressing into his overly smug features. "Yes, _very_ lovely." Faye held her mouth clamped closed for a second longer, waiting until she saw his face dip to go in for a demanding kiss before she spat out the pool of blood that had gathered in the crevices between her teeth. Faye smirked; flashing her blood stained teeth at Pierre's shock yell of disgust, as his hold fell from her waist and quickly went to wipe his eyes clear. "You bitch!" Faye looked up at her blinded attacker, and slide into a defensive position.

"Of course I'm a bitch." Faye lashed out with her arms, using her tied arms as a club. Pierre stumbled back at the force but he quickly righted his stance in time to block next swing, staring through half lidded eyes. Faye smiled at Pierre's snarling face. "I strive to be a bitch!" Faye ducked beneath a high left hook and quickly countered with a high kick, causing Pierre's head to go snapping back. Pierre stifled a groan as he stumbled backwards and rammed into two guards who came running up from behind.

Faye landed stiffly, and cursed as the two guards were slowly moving towards her bodies hunched ready to move if she decided to take flight. Faye backed up until she hit the wall, eyes sliding to both sides of the hall trying to take the best course of action. In the end it was made for her as the guard on her right lunged. Faye took off down to her left, hearing the guards jumbled curses and Pierre's screams as they two guards became tangled and crashed to the floor. Faye desperately rammed into the first door she came across, having difficulty grabbing the knob with her hands tied so close together, only to find the knob turned with a stiff resistance. Faye kicked the door in frustration before she took off again, registering the heavy footfalls that were closing in from behind her.

Faye launched around a corner, quickly slowing as she realized her mistake, she had run into a dead end. At the very end of the hall sat a single door, Faye rushed forward flinging herself into it and twisting her wrists awkwardly in an attempt to get the door to click open. It was only when a loud booming voice echoed from behind her that Faye realized how useless it was. She slowly turned around and forced her face into a neutral mask as she slowly eyed the two guards. "Hello boys." Faye pressed her back up against the door and eyed her possible escape routes, only to find her movement was very limited.

One of the men mumbled something in French, and gestured wildly with his hands. Faye just blinked at him for several seconds before shrugging. "Didn't quite catch that." Suddenly Faye found her back support giving way and she found herself tumbling backwards and landing in the arms of the person who had opened the door. Faye gasped in shock and the two guards yelled some unknown words as she vanished out of the hall. Faye struggled against uselessly against the iron grip that had wrapped about her and dragged her further into the room.

The two guards stumbled into the room after her, their faces breaking into large grins as they realized who held her captive. "Ah, Jean, look! It's the little piece of trash from the new colonies! What's his name again?" The more burly guard nudged the one called Jean.

Jean ignored the other guard and gestured to the man who held Faye. "Hey, Peeves! Hand the girl over! I a stupid colonist like you could handle a girl like that!"

"Stupid colonist?" Reeves familiar tone rung from behind Faye's ear. Faye heard the slight tinge of angry that coated his simple tone.

"Ah, you know how it is. You colonists are a mixed breed." The burlier guard laughed cheerfully

Jean just rolled his eyes and took several steps forward, holding out his hand for Faye. "Just hand over the girl and we'll let you be." Jean thrust his knobby finger in Faye's direction, and Faye felt Reeves tense. She was completely unprepared when Reeves suddenly spun her from his grip, and sent her flying into the nearby wall. Faye bashed into the wall, a soft yelp of surprise more than pain jumping from her throat as she slumped to the floor. Slightly dazed she looked about and smiled as she saw a knife lying ahead of her.

She awkwardly picked it up, slowly cutting at it thinking it would take forever to get through it, but smiled as she cut through the top half of the knot only to see how much it loosened. Faye dropped the knife and forcefully tugged her right wrist from its bound and flung the rest of the rope from her. Faye turned her gaze in Reeves direction and watched as sent a vicious punch into Jean's cheek before ducking beneath the wild high arcing kick of the burlier one. He quick retaliated with a swift uppercut to his lower jaw, sending the burlier man crashing hard to the ground. Jean quickly recovered from Reeves attack and pulled a gun from his holster covered by his jacket.

Faye sprung into motion, and grabbed Jean's wrist, twisting it as far as she could counterclockwise until he dropped the weapon and sent two left jabs into his nose before flipping him over her shoulder onto his backside. Once Faye was sure that he was down she quickly scooped up the gun and leveled it in Reeves direction who had managed to take down the burlier guard.

Reeves turned about with a great sigh, jolting slightly when he realized that Faye had the gun level at his head. With a lopsided grin he slowly raised his hands into the air, a hint of amusement crossing his features as he stared directly into her eyes. Faye carefully eyed him, gently kicking Jean who lay at her feet unmoving. Once she was sure he would out, she turned her attention back to Reeves. "Thanks for the help. Now, just tell me how to get out of here and I'll be on my way."

Reeves raised an eyebrow and slowly dropped his arms to fold them across his chest, his staring at her skeptically. "You'll never make it to the bottom floor. This place has sixty floors and you would have to make it down fifty-seven of them before you reached the lobby. And just for the record, this is one hell of a way to thank a guy for saving your ass."

Faye shrugged and cast a quick glance about the room. "And here I thought you didn't like my ass." She heard Reeves light laughter and brought her eyes back to him and forcefully thrust the gun into his face to make her point. "Forgive me, but I still don't trust you." Faye tightened her finger about the trigger. "Now, tell me how to get out." The sound of a door opening caught Faye's attention and as her eyes turned to take in the new challenge, Reeves slammed into her, knocking her to the floor. Faye heard the heavy metallic cling as bullets erupted above them, littering the wall where they had just been standing. Reeves slowly rolled off of Faye and reached into his coat, pulling out a pistol. Crouching low behind the table that they had been lucky to duck behind, he rose up to peer over its top and fired several wild shots before he ducked back down for cover.

Faye cursed as several bullets splintered the wood of the chair and table about her, and caught a funny look from Reeves who readied himself to fire again. "Yes, sit there and be pretty, let the gay man do all the work." Faye shot him an annoyed glare but didn't have time to respond for Reeves stood up fully and fired three shots, twice the sounds of a rewarding yelp or scream of pain echoed about the small room. Once sure they were down, Reeves reached down, grabbing Faye's good arm and hauled her to her feet. When Faye tried to protest Reeves sent her a calculating look. "You really don't have much choice but to trust me, Faye. I'm your only hope at getting you out of here."

Faye opened her mouth several times to speak but couldn't find any words. Reeves just smiled at her speechlessness and lead her around the table to the door where the two dead bullet riddled bodies lay, discarding his empty gun and took the one of the guard's gun that had a nearly full clip. "Besides," He spoke as he turned back to face her, a small rueful smile crossing his features. "I already told you, I'm not French." He paused thoughtfully before he turned to gaze into her eyes. "And I promise I won't kill you."

Faye managed a small eye roll before Reeves grabbed her and started pulling her along again. He stopped just inside the doorframe, gun poised in front of him as he checked up and down the hall. "How's your head? Still feeling the affects of the drugs?" The question caught Faye so off guard that Reeves had to repeat it.

Faye waved him away and shrugged. "I'll survive." Faye watched as Reeves tensed into a crouch and cast a glance back to her. It was obvious he was skeptical but didn't say anything, instead he gestured to the gun she held in her right hand. Faye followed his gaze down to the weapon. "What?"

Reeves cleared his throat, a little laughter cracking the surface tone. "You do know how to fire a gun, don't you?" Faye scoffed at the question and threateningly brought it up, leveling it in front of his eyes. Reeves chuckled lightly before he turned his attention back to the hallway and nodded. "All right, come on." Reeves had taken a grip about her good wrist again and began running down the hall, pulling Faye's stumbling form after him.

François looked up as a guard entered, a look of terror etched across the young man's face. "Oui? Quel est le problème?"

The guard lowered his eyes to the spot on the floor where blood was still drying. "Il y a un avion s'approchant de l'ouest, Monsieur Dragonetti. Nous avons essayé de faire le contact avec lui mais n'avons pas obtenu une réponse."

François brought a hand up to his chin, his eyes holding a pensive look. "Donc, Pierre a raison. Le dragon rouge est apparu."

The guard nodded. "Oui, Monsieur. Est-ce que nous suspectons." François shot the guard an annoyed glance but quickly blinked it away. His eyes lowered to the gun that sat in front of him on his desk, and a savage smile passed across his features.

"Et la femme?"

The guard gulped and managed a small nod. "La femme a échappé à juste comme vous a projeté." The guard took a deep breath before he continued. "Mais elle a l'aide."

François raised an eyebrow and slowly brought his hand to rest against the gun. "Qui l'aide?"

"Reeves." The guard choked out the word only to see a smile cross his leaders' fierce face, a gleeful gleam in his eyes as he turned to look out the window.

"Excellent."

Reeves stopped in front of a flight of stairs, the pair was breathing hard from their run across the floor, having several close encounters with some guards but managing to come out unscathed. "We're going to the roof. An aircraft will be there."

Faye took in a big gulp of air, her firearm pressed against her heaving chest as she tried to keep herself from being sick, the mixture of exercise and whatever they had injected her with was not a good combination. "Why . . . w-why are you helping me?" Her voice was raspy and harsh.

Reeves shrugged softly, a light smile creased the deep frown lines of his face. He cast a watchful glance about them as he answered her. "It doesn't matter." A slightly guilty look passed over his face, but he shook it away.

"Halt traitor!" Both of them whipped their heads around to see several guards charging towards them. Reeves grimaced and grabbed hold of Faye's arm, flinging her ahead of him towards the staircase.

"Go!" Reeves harsh command was accompanied by several loud pings of bullets exploding about them, Faye staggered to stand as she ran hunched over into the stairs, her momentum only stopping as she crashed into the first set of steps, grimacing as her knees slammed into the first couple of steps. Faye quickly scrambled on all fours up to the first landing, and bumped into a pair of feet that didn't belong to anyone friendly. Faye slowly raised her eyes to see a large leering face staring down at her. Before he could even think about moving she hand lunged into him, slamming into his gut and shoving him hard into the opposite wall. The guard gave a yelp of shock which Faye quickly silenced him as she did her best to straighten and brought the butt of her gun across the side of his face. Faye hobbled backwards, disentangling herself from the guard's limp limbs, and realized that the sounds of bullets below had faded to screams of terror.

She quickly turned around to see a panicked looking Reeves racing up the stairs two at a time, gesturing wildly to continue climbing. "Go! Go! Go!" Faye was about to question him when the whole floor rocked with the force of an explosion, pieces of debris flying towards her head, and a loud whining sound ground from below as Faye quickly realized what had happened. She tittered unbalanced on the landing, barely ducking in time to avoid the flying pieces of debris as Reeves pulled on the railing, grabbing her closest arm and hauled her over to the next flight of stairs, pushing her from behind to make her climb faster.

Faye glanced over her shoulder at Reeves in unabashed shock. "You used a grenade?" The door on the landing they had just left flung open and several members of the lions came pouring out, firing wildly in their direction. Faye ducked her head blindly reaching out for the railing as she rounded the corner, grasping it tightly to use as leverage to haul her up the next couple of stairs. The floor shook again, an aftershock of the grenade that Reeves had used, and sent both of them toppling to the floor. Faye was the first to gain control of her body, and reached back, pulling Reeves up by the scuff of his shirt and shouting into his ear. "Are you trying to kill us?" Reeves gave Faye a dirty and suddenly pelted into her as several guards above them opened fire.

He swung his firearm about and kept her pressed against the wall. "Damn it." He swore as one bullet ricocheted off the wall and whizzed by his ear. "You screaming at me isn't really helping, Faye!"

"Well, _excuse_ me!" Faye managed to shove her gun hand out into the open and fired at several soldiers who were running up the stairs. "Sorry for not being keen to getting myself _blown up_!" Faye's shriek died on her lips as she took a more precise aim and smirked as several screams of pain reached her ears. Faye turned her eyes towards Reeves who was oblivious to the trouble coming up from behind them. "Hey, not saying anything against your _great_ rescuing skills, but if we stay here much longer we're going to get pinned down!" Faye heard Reeves throaty growl and saw him roll his eyes before he stuffed his free hand into his coat and pulled out a rounded object. Faye blinked several times at the grenade in his hand before she shook her head. "Oh _hell_ no!"

Reeves just smirked and pulled the pin before lobbing the grenade up into the next flight of steps were they were being pelted from, and hunkered closer to Faye. The explosion rocked the landing and several pieces of metal debris clattered about them. "You fucking idiot! You _are_ trying to kill us!" Faye's angry shrieks were swallowed up in the echoing crashes from above, and Reeves just smiled widely at her. Faye jolted as Reeves was suddenly pulling her along again; the only thought that was really playing across her mind was that Spike might have met his match when it came to trying to kill himself. Reeves was proving to be quiet the match for her mop haired bastard. Faye suddenly felt a great weight fall on her shoulders. She didn't have much time to dwell on the thought however for Reeves had stopped just on the other side of the door on the next landing and looked down the hall.

"Look here, princess. Stay here and make sure no one comes through this door. I'm going to check on something." Reeves squeezed Faye's shoulder lightly before he took off down the hall, leaving Faye standing there stuttering like a fool.

"Sure! Whatever you say, asshole." Faye checked the bullets in her clip and sighed. Three shots were definitely not going to get her very far. She could hear the crackling of fire that must have started when Reeves decided to throw grenades about, no doubt before long this whole place would be up in smoke. Faye slumped against the wall her gun pressed against her chest as she listened for footsteps. To say the least she was exhausted, and her stomach was still feeling incredibly queasy. She sighed again, feeling a convulsing motion grappling the emotions in her chest, a deep sadness clouding over her. In a strange way, Reeves did remind her of Spike, just the thought of his recklessness was enough to make her think of the green haired man. Faye felt her breath shutter and forcefully shook her head; she couldn't allow herself to cry yet, no, it was still too soon.

The sound of footsteps on the landing forced Faye to dash away all thoughts and lift her gun wearily towards the door and fired as soon as she saw the first man step through. The bullet ripped through his forehead, blood gushing out of the large wound between his eyes as he stumbled backwards, dead before he hit the floor. Two men rushed in at once and Faye fired her last two shots, getting one of the men in the neck, a loud gurgling sound accompanying his fall to the floor and the second bullet caught the other guard in the shoulder and sent him staggering backwards. The fourth guard was suddenly charging her and out of habit Faye pulled the trigger twice before she remembered that she had only had three shots and in last second desperation, flung her gun at him.

The guard gave a cry of pain as the hard metal smacked his forehead, stalling him long enough for Faye to spin into a roundhouse kick, her heel connecting with his jaw and slamming him back through the door. As she landed the third guard started to charge her only to go stumbling back a second later as Reeves rammed into him with a flying kick. He landed in front of her and slide into fighting position. "Get out of here, Faye! There's a flight of stairs that lead to the roof just down the hall!" Reeves grunted as he started to fight the fourth guard, ducking below a hard left jab and countered with an uppercut. He spared a second to look over his shoulder at her. "Whatever happens Faye . . . don't stay on the roof! The aircraft will be there." He whipped about and jabbed the fourth guard several times and flipped him over his shoulder. "You have to trust me, Faye. Have faith and jump. Just don't let him near the roof."

Faye was completely baffled by the statement and shook her head before she threw a left hook into the jaw of the third guard who was coming at her. "What are you talking about?"

Faye watched as Reeves pulled a gun from his coat and cast a desperate look in her direction, before he fired at the third guard. "There's no time! The stairs to the roof are at the end of the hall!" Reeves began to shoot wildly at the fourth guard, and only turned to face her when the guard fell to the ground, noticing her hesitation to leave him. "Go!"

Faye heard the desperation in his voice and nodded. "Thank you Reeves. I won't forget this." Faye moved to touch him but Reeves stepped out of her grasp and kicked open the door and fired wildly down the staircase. Faye nodded in understanding and quickly turned on her heel, sprinting down the hall.

All her thoughts blurred together as she ran towards the end of the hall, still trying to figure out what exactly had happened with Reeves. Trying to figure out the 'colonist' shit and how everything fit together. Faye had never felt more relieved as the stairs came into view. She quickly climbed up the steps two at a time, grinning in victory as the door loomed ahead of her. Faye leaned forward and used her shoulder to barrel through the door, fumbling out into the cold windy night. The lashing summer wind cooling her sweaty face, and making her shiver.

The sounds of Reeves pistol had long faded, only to be replaced the whirling or the wind around the buildings top. Faye looked about her, eyes searching the rooftop for the aircraft that Reeves had said would be there. "Where is it?" Faye briskly walked out into the center of the roof spun around, eyes becoming panicked as she realized that the aircraft Reeves spoke of was not there. "No . . . no." Faye heard her voice lashing out in a panicked state. "No! No! No! No!" Faye titled her head back and screamed.

Faye fell to her knees, all her adrenaline draining from her system. She felt tears streaming down her face. She had been so close to getting away. She could hear the sounds of Lions members clattering below and Reeves words ringing in her ears. Faye slowly stood up, and lumbered towards the edge, an idea sparking that maybe Reeves had meant that the aircraft was just below. Faye stumbled to the edge, her hopes on edge as she looked over the side. Faye blinked in shock as the wind whipped through her hair, her eyes widening as she stared down at the sixty story drop. The only thing she could see was the hard pavement on the street below.

François looked up from his paperwork as three steady knocks sounded on his door. "Entrer." Two guards walked in and threw a black eyed and bloody lipped Reeves into the room, both training the barrels of their guns at the back of his head. François smiled nastily down at the man. "Bon soir, Reeves."

Reeves slowly picked his self up off the floor but remained silent, not daring to look at the older man. "Ah, il s'avérerait que vous n'êtes pas heureux avec moi, Reeves Je vous ai offensé?

Reeves shivered in untamed anger, insulting François the only way he could, speaking English in front of him. "You'll never get full control of the French Syndicate – the elders will never hand full power of the Lions over to you! No matter how many people in the new colonies you torture."

François let out a bellowing laugh and leaned across his desk. "Yes, well be that as it may I don't plan to keep the people on the new French colonies around once I gain control. You see, only the _natural_ French will thrive in this new age! You filthy mix-breed colonists will be abolished for abandoning your place. The colonies have served their purpose though; they have allowed me to make a statement to the elders. What you don't realize is that my plan has long been set in motion and I will take my new position as the Leader of the Lion tonight, once I kill the man who assassinated my father. The man who so simply decimated the Lions by killing its leader. I will have my revenge and The Red Dragon will perish tonight. And I will take over as leader of the Lions."

Reeves shook his head and laughed lightly. "Yes, it appears that you have it all planned out, François. But you failed to see the flaw in your plan." Reeves took several steps closer and placed both of his hands on the desk in an attempt to look a bit intimidating. "You trusted a _piece of trash_ from the colonies. I lured her to the roof, but that's not all I did." François's eyes widened a look of panic crossing his face. "I taught the girl to fly."

Faye was jolted out of her shock as she heard the drone of a planes engine. Faye looked about to see a small dot growing bigger in the distance. Faye tilted her head to the side and stepped closer to the corner of the building. The aircraft was glowing in the last fragments of the sunset. From what Faye could tell it was a pretty beat up ship, with a long claw extending from the top. Faye felt a glimmer of hope that Reeves had been telling the truth.

Faye jumped as the whirl of machinery buzzed to life to her left. Faye slowly turned her head to see a large missile launcher whirling about, the cylinder leveling out to aim at the west horizon. Faye's eyes widened in alarm as she realized what was about to happen, they were going to shoot the craft down. "No." Faye whirled back towards the west, her eyes wide as she realized she had to somehow signal them, tell them to turn back. Faye waved her hands about, trying to draw as much attention as possible.

Faye eyes fell back to the missile launcher as a loud chucking noise sounded from its depths. She felt so useless. She was a little dot in the middle of a big cluster of building and smoke pipes. Faye lowered her head, the image of the burning Bebop playing over and over again in her mind. She refused to let the lions ruin anymore lives. "Don't move, girl!" Faye froze, the sound of footsteps fanning out about the roof behind her the sounds of guns cocking ringing in her ears. Faye didn't bother to turn around; instead she turned her towards the plane that was flying towards its impending doom.

It was as she stood there, studying the plan that she vaguely realized how familiar the ship was. Her breath hitched, and her heart rate increased at the sight of the brown, narrow exterior. "It couldn't be." Faye stepped closer to the ledge and leaned against it, trying to get a better view.

"Girl, step back from that ledge!" The broken English behind her jolted through Faye's system, and her eyes wandered down to the narrow ledge. If she could just be taller, maybe the aircraft would be able to see her. Faye quickly lifted herself onto the ledge, tittering dangerously close to falling. "Girl! Get off the roof" The sounds of the guards' footsteps charging towards her was accompanied by the sound of another distant chunk from the missile launcher.

Faye's eyes narrowed against the wind, looking directly at the plane that was now the best thing she had seen in a long time. And at that moment Faye realized the meaning behind Reeves words. "Off the roof." Her whispered words were caught in the wind, disappearing as quickly as they had come. And as her eyes got a better focus on the approaching aircraft she realized it wasn't an ordinary ship.

"What are you doing, girl! Get down!" The guard's voice made Faye smile; she would get down all right, but probably not the way the guard suspect. Faye took a deep breath and she knew that all she could do was pray; pray that she could be seen. Faye could hear the footsteps of the guards running towards her, and though she knew she was about to do one of the scariest and probably stupidest things in her life, she couldn't have felt happier.

Faye turned to look at the approaching guards and made her hand into the shape of a gun, a broad smile crossing her features as a single word fell from her lips. "Bang." The guards yelled faded into the background and an odd silence fell about her being as she turned back to the scenic view of the city. With a deep breath, Faye threw her arms out to the sides, leaned forward and jumped.

_An: Woo Hoo! Yay! Wow. That took a while. All right. Next chapter in the bag! Lots of French in this one, sorry. And once again I think I managed to butcher it. Oh well, this is good practice for me. And please excuse typos in this, I don't have time to look over it right now… got too much going on. So sorry! Okay, Dannie-chan told me that FF might be kicking people off for responding to reviewers and here's my thoughts on it. I am not going to stop responding… it would break my little heart. So, what I am doing is I am working on a website. Unfortunately it is at the VERY bottom of my "to do list". So, I'll let you all know when it's done, but for now, if I do get kicked off, e-mail me. (Alternativetherapy815 at yahoo!) and I will individually send out chapters to people… if I get kicked off that is. So, sorry for the long time, it's been a few weeks of hell. And as a side note I don't think I am going to update until I see at least TEN new reviewers! That's right. . . count them Ten! Plus my loyal reviewers who I love oh-so-much. Thanks to all who already review! You guys make my world go round! Anyways, I still have several pages to write for an essay… stupid professor for making it be a 15 page paper… AND IT'S A MATH CLASS! What the Hell! All right, I'm done venting… (grumbles: stupid math) Toddles all! _

_Vous aviez recherché quatre heures_ - You have been searching for four hours

_Pardonne-moi, Monsieur. Il y a un grand secteur à couvrir, mais je commence à suspecter que les deux homes . . . _- Forgive me, sir. There is a large area to cover, but I am beginning to suspect that the two men . . .

_Assezt!_ – Enough!

_Je vous ai dit que il y a une heure cela que j'ai compté voir des résultats_. – I told you an hour ago that I expected to see results.

_Vous avez ne produisez pas_ – You have failed to produce

_S'il vous plait, monsieur. Donnez-moi une autre chance _– Please sir. Give me one more chance.

_Je ne m'attends pas à l'échec_. – I don't accept failure.

_Vous êtes finalement éveillé_ – You're finally awake

_D'accord _- Okay

_Particulièrement si vous voulez continuer à vivre_ – Especially if you want to continue to live

_Vos cammaredes n'ont pas écouté les Lions et regardez où cela les a mené_– Your comrades did not listen to the Lions and look where that got them

_Les hommes peuvent être très obstiné_ – Men can be very stubborn

_Je crois que je vous ai écarté_ – I believe I dismissed you

_Stupide femme_ - stupid woman

_Vous devriez apprendre votre endroit_ - You should learn your place

_Oui? Quel est le problème_ - Yes? What is the problem?

_Il y a un avion s'approchant de l'ouest, Monsieur Dragonetti. Nous avons essayé de faire le contact avec lui mais n'avons pas obtenu une réponse_ - There is an aircraft approaching from the west, sir. We have tried to make contact with it but have failed to get a response

_Donc, Pierre a raison_. _Le dragon rouge est apparu_ – So, Pierre was right. The red dragon has appeared.

_Oui, Monsieur. Est-ce que nous suspectons_ – Yes, sir. That is what we suspect

_Et la femme_ - and the woman

_La femme a échappé à juste comme vous a projeté_ – The woman had escaped just like you planned

_Mais elle a l'aide_ - But she has help

_Qui l'aide_ - Who is helping her

_Entrer _– Enter

_Bon soir_ – Good Evening

_Ah, il s'avérerait que vous n'êtes pas heureux avec moi, Reeves. Je vous ai offensé ? -_ It would appear that you are not happy with me, Reeves. Did I offend you ?

Dannie-chan: Thanks for the warning! But don't worry I have a back-up! Don't know when I'll get my website up… not much time to do much of anything recently. Anyways. Nope, I'm not telling! You'll have to keep reading to find anything out! Oscar Meyer Wiener are indeed very dangerous… have you ever had one bite you back? It hurts! (winks) Love ya! Take it easy!

Kuro-Ippikiookami21: Ah! (Clamps mouth shut) Nope, no way. I am not going to respond to any questions about Jinni's son. Not yet at least. But I am so glad that people liked her! I didn't think she would fit in as well as she did. Just like I'm unsure about Reeves. The only problem with being 20 is you're so close yet so far to being 21… it's horrible! Lol. Take it easy!

CarolinaWhiteRose: Did I slip a nice little surprise into this one? Make you feel any better about the Bebop? I hope so. Grandma Ji is definitely my kind of lady. I'm just surprised that she went over so well with everyone else. But I guess you have to love an old woman who is willing to blow a man's head off, right? Here, I brought you some food and water… I'll bring the flashlight with me next time! Much love! Till Next Time!

xDianaMoonx: (gush gush) Thank you, I strive to write good fight scenes… at least I try to write good fight scenes. I don't like most of my writing, so I never trust my own opinion. It makes me super ecstatic to know that you like it! Till next chapter!

Angels Heart 1622: My thoughts exactly! Pierre needs to stop picking on woman and children and mess with someone his own size! of course, considering he's not that big, it might be a challenge to find someone! Hee hee. Take it easy!

Zottie: Wow. This chapter took a long time to get out. School is the devil! Math essay is the devil! Grr. Since when did math require you to write an essay? Oh well, I hope this chapter met your standards… I am actually looking forward to the next chapter… it's time for the warm and fuzzy moments! Hee hee! Take it easy!

Breezy1028: The great and wonderful breezy! Sorry, I'm keeping my mouth closed on Jinni for now… all that information will be coming out in a few chapters. Cause I love it to have people guessing! Hope this chapter was as good as the others! Till next Time!

Oyuki: Would I really be that mean to kill off two of the best characters on the Bebop? Well, all right maybe. Lol. Oh, so lucky to have it cancelled. I wish mine would be cancelled for another few weeks… okay who am I kidding I kinda like school… except when I get bogged down with eighty pounds of homework, cuts back my writing time. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Take it easy!

Kyra1: That is the question of the day and it makes me smile. Oh come on, the library has to be the best place to make a scene, because then you get all the funny stares from people! (winks). Indeed I am officially insane for taking 21 hours and working. No, really it's not all that bad, I work mornings now, 2 hours every day. I used to work full time in the summer – 6am to 5pm – so I had plenty of time to write. Now it's only two hours – 6am to 8am – before I have to go to class. So no more writing at work for me. As always you make me blush. Take it easy!

MelodyFaith: Aww, I love to be loved! Thank you so much! I live for that kind of review! I hope this chapter is as good as the last one! Take it easy!

BloodCrested: I'm glad you liked that last line – it was my favorite in that chapter! All will be spread out shortly! I promise. Just keep reading! Till next time!

KittyVicious: I'm glad people don't hate me for killing the dog. But at least Ed survived right? And now she's with Grandma Ji! Grandma Ji will certainly be coming into play shortly, so keep an eye out for her! Till next chapter!

Kendra Luehr: You inspired me! I just had to use 'never trust a frenchmen'! It was too good to pass up on! So Thank you! You actually gave me a couple of ideas on what is going to happen with Reeves. So big Thank You for that line! All my ideas on him came from it! (Grins) Take it easy!

XHatori-SohmaX: Don't cry! I don't like it when people cry… okay there are times I do like it when people cry but not now! Next chapter will be even better that this one (at least in terms of certain things… like people) Whoops! I've already said too much . . . but I kinda bet you've already figured it out. So till next Time!

Firevixen73: New chapters are great! I agree. That's why I tried to rush this one out. Hope it pleases you! Take it easy!

Katsuko: Thank you! I like it when people like my work. Make me all warm and fuzzy inside! Hope you liked this chapter! Till next time!

Shola: And more, and more, and more. Eat up! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Will Faye plummet to her death? We'll have to see won't we? Take it easy!

Jadedghostgurl: Did I or didn't I, that is the question. I'm glad I can at least get something right with my writing recently… writing a paper on how to do a math problem is not easy! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Take it easy! Much Love!


	9. Interlude

_AN: This little interlude is dedicated to Kyra1. Notes at the bottom!_

The Last Fragments of You

Interlude to Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

By: Alternative Therapy

Faye was completely frozen. The icy wind was pressing in from all sides and slicing across her bottom lip, making it burn. Free falling was an odd sensation, and the happy-go-lucky feeling had faded off after she had dropped passed the first couple of floors. But it was the shrill whistle of fiery combustion that followed the familiar chunk of the missile launcher that made her world stop completely.

Faye couldn't think straight as an inkling of fear crept through and began to eat away at her entire system. The hollow feeling that consumed the pit of her stomach made her feel very queasy; the thought of losing her family the first time was hard enough, the second time wasn't any easier. Through half lidded and watery eyes, Faye turned her head to see the flare of heated air that trailed behind the missile on a path to destroy the Hammerhead.

Faye hastily turned her eyes away, and looked to the point where her steady descent would come to an end, a grim smile curving her lips upwards as the pavement drew closer. In a rather gruesome sense, the knowledge that she would hit pavement about the same time as the missile struck the Hammerhead was a strange comfort. At least she wouldn't be able to hear the awful explosion over the sound of her screams just before she hit the ground. Faye slowly closed her eyes and slowly turned her head so she could see the sunset, not willing to see the harsh ending that was awaiting her.

Instead, she wanted to focus on the fragmented particles of color that had drifted across the navy sky from the setting sun. If nothing else, Faye would be happy knowing the last few seconds of her life would be beautiful, and that it had ended on her own terms. Faye felt her violet strands of hair thrashing about her face and her eyelids fluttered with unshed tears. She had never felt as pitiful as she did at that moment.

A painful prickling sensation swept over the back of her neck, a scream was suddenly streaming out from her opened mouth as the reds, yellows and crèmes slowly became dilated and blurred together. And as she focused on this last fragmented beauty, the sunset was punctuated by the glinting flares of fire as an explosion vibrated across the sky, and the Hammerhead began to sink earthwards. But Faye didn't hear or see it; instead, there were several moments of complete weightless bliss and then a deep compressing silence that filtered into a blackened emptiness.

_An: I know I'm horrible. But this short little interlude is all thanks to Kyra1 for it was her idea and I simple couldn't pass up on it! I know it's very evil.If you haven't yet, you should check out her amazing story: **Portrait of a Shattered Woman**. An absolutely wonderful piece! Anyway, the real chapter 8 is done, I just need to do a little editing on it, should be out before the end of the day. (Hopefully). Enjoy! _


	10. Chapter 8

_AN: Presenting the real chapter 8. All notes at the bottom._

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

The Last Fragments of You

Alternative Therapy

Chapter 8

It wasn't real. That was the only thought that was racing through Faye's mind as she dropped quickly earthward. The odd sensation of weightlessness that had gripped her, the icy wind that caused her bottom lip to burn and the pavement that was slowly looking more solid, all of it was lost to her. For Faye knew that no one could ever feel as happy as she had and did as they were plummeting towards their deaths, at least no one in their right mind.

No, in Faye's mind there was no possible way that any of this was real, for she had heard the clichéd story of the person's last moments, and the thoughts that were rampaging through her mind definitely did not relate in any way, shape, or form to the clichéd dying person's thoughts. There were no images of her past, no feelings of remorse that lead to what ifs and there was definitely no peace, no sudden acceptance that death was really only moments away. No, she didn't have any of these. There was only a cold numb feeling and the knowledge that she was on the borderline of falling into shock.

It was only when the familiar whirl of machinery kicked to life above her and provided her eardrums with the notable and familiar chunk that everything started to blur back into place. A shrill whistle quickly followed the chunk and everything solidified, a harsh reality falling down around her. The ship she had so desperately been trying to protect was now on a direction collision course with a Lions missile, and she was going to end up strewn across the pavement, with the syndicate guards pouring her mangled remains into her grave.

Faye turned her half lidded and watery eyes towards the west, a grim satisfaction creeping over her with the knowledge that the syndicate hadn't been able to use her as they had wanted, and the even more morbid feeling of happiness that she would be long splattered across the ground before the lone missile made impact with its target. As she stared into the colored particles of the fading sunset trying to get one last glimpse of the Hammerhead, a feeling of hopelessness overwhelmed her. It was because she had been careless that she had gotten caught by Pierre, and she had managed to put her entire family at risk. Their deaths were on her hands.

A resonating thrum seeped into her ears, interrupting her thoughts, and before she could lift her head to see where the noise originated from something hard slammed into her side. Faye clinched her eyes shut as a scream jolted from her lungs and for several long seconds there was nothing else that she noticed besides the painfully blinding throb that rebounded through her joints and ribcage. As the pain faded, Faye repeatedly opened and closed her eyes, and blinked away the swamp of unshed tears as the world began to fit back into place, her mind still slightly hazy and distant but quickly dissolving back into reality for the second time. And then she froze. Long and steady arms were wrapped tightly about her waist, protectively crushing her into a hard and muscular chest. Faye looked about to find herself dangling from a tight hold, the wind matting her hair about her cheeks as she flew skywards, completely stunned.

Faye felt as if she was weightless, as if any and all ill thoughts had been pushed out of her body when this person had slammed into her. She was content and happy, and all she wanted to do was bask in the giddiness that had suddenly enchanted her entire being. That was, until, full and soft lips lowered to brush her earlobe, the hot breath that exited from them gently tickled her cheek and neck as a gruff and familiar voice cut through the din of the wind and painfully caused her heart to clench. Four simple words broke into her shocked yet euphoric state. "I've got you, Faye."

Faye's eyes went wide, and with a great strain on her emotions, she forced her head to rise from the broad chest it had fallen into. With some effort, she managed to focus in on the blanched features of an angular masculine face, and for the first time in days, shaded emerald met mismatched mahogany. Her insides slowly unfurled as a feeling of warmth and comfort spread through her stomach as she stared into his steady gaze. Faye shuddered out an uneven breath, the world behind and around Spike's slightly pasty face smearing into a montage of colors and abstract objects, as thought they had been throw haplessly together. But she didn't see the plaid design of the world, no; her gaze was focused solely on his angular face and the simple curve of his lips that held no mirth. It was one of the most genuine smiles she had ever seen from him.

In the next second Faye had wrapped her arms about his neck and pressed her forehead into his shoulder, her hair thrashing about their faces as they slowly shot skywards. Faye held onto him with all the strength she had, still unable to believe that he was alive, that he had saved her . . . that he was . . . flying. The drone of the jet pack strapped to his back melted and fused into her senses, and forced her to take in her surroundings. Everything that had happened in the last few days was on the verge of overwhelming her and she could feel herself slowly coming undone. With a shuddering sigh, Faye pressed herself even closer to the very real and very warm body that had crushed her into a protective embrace upon impact.

Faye was vaguely aware of the heat that was flushing rapidly across her face as one of Spike's hands unhook from her waist and curved about the nap of her neck as several tears dripped, unbidden, down her cheeks. Spike gently wiped away the tears before his nimble fingers caught some of her wind strewn strands of violet and pushed the behind the lobe of her ear as his head dipped towards hers.

He gently rested his forehead against her temple, his soft lips brushing softly against her earlobe as he found the hollowed space of her eardrum. His voice was barely audible over the rush of the wind, but she could plainly hear its gruffness and the warm undertone that lingered in each of his words. "I have you, Faye." The four simple words sent a chill down her spine and she could no longer suppress the rampaging tears that poured freely down her cheeks. She felt his lips curve into a soft smile against her ear and she couldn't help but lean into the light and fleeting caress over her cheek. "I have you."

Faye raised her watery eyes as Spike's hand disappeared from her cheeks and as her jade gaze swung level with his dark one, she noted the familiarity of the scenery behind him, and sucked out any relief that she may have felt. Her eyes widened a fraction as they approached the rooftop she had so recently left and as she realized that spike was about to live up to his renown reputation for reckless endangerment. For a missile launcher was not the only thing that awaited them on top of the roof, no there were twenty armed guards that only moments ago had threatened to shoot her.

"Spike!" Faye's voice was caught in the wind and overpowered by the roar of the simple engine that pushed them skyward. But really she had known all along by the glint that was residing in his eyes that nothing she could have done or said would going to stop Spike from flying up to the roof and challenging every single man up there.

Before Faye had the chance to try again, a loud explosion suddenly erupted from the west and drew her attention, her heart wrenching as she suddenly remembered the Hammerhead. But to her surprise and bewildered amazement she watched not as the Hammerhead erupted in a shower of tiny flecks of fire, but the missile flared to life in a ball of fire. And the Hammerhead, silhouetted by the setting sun, turned, unharmed, and vanished behind a row of buildings. By some miracle, the Hammerhead had managed to blow up the missile. Faye hung dumbstruck in Spike's grasp, watching the show of fire and sparks that danced across the horizon. It was only when Spike gave a violent jerk, did Faye turn her teary eyes towards their situation and blanched as her eyes fell upon the grenade that was tightly held between Spike's long fingers. Another grenade was definitely not what Faye had wanted to see again tonight.

She slowly swung her eyes towards the roof, not surprised to see the twenty men fanned out about the ledge, gun barrels trained on them as they shot passed them. Before Faye could blink, the syndicate guards had opened fired and Spike had lobbed the small ball of high explosives towards the missile launcher. Everything went in slow motion. Faye watched as the grenade slowly descended on its target, watched as Spike hastily grappled with the controls of the jet pack and yanked viciously on them as he whipped them around. Bullets snapped about them as they flipped over, Spike's arm digging painfully into her side as they dove earthwards and tumbled into a roll. Faye couldn't even find the air to scream as the grenades explosion vibrated down through the air to them.

Faye desperately clutched Spike's shirt, her eyes struggling to remain open under the pressure of the wind. She managed to life her eyes towards Spike, barely able to make out the features of his hardened face. His body was tense as he concentrated on pulling them out of the roll, beads of sweat dotting his brow and upper lip from both the exertion and the heat that was spewing out of the end of the jet pack in thick waves. Faye gritted her teeth as she started to feel slightly ill from the drop, her face flushed red from all the blood rushing to her head.

A loud crack echoed in her ears and the jet pack shuddered accompanied by a loud fizzing sound as one of the fiery cylinders started to spew its contents at odd intervals. Faye didn't need to ask to know what had happened as the distant cracks of bullets rang from above, she was just grateful that neither of them had been hit. Then, suddenly they were pulled out of the roll, the one cylinder shutting down completely as the slope of their descent toward the pavement increased. Through the wind that slated over her face, Faye slowly lifted her eyes to see Spike concentrating hard in an attempt to level them out, his jaw tightly clenched shut and eyes narrowed into the wind. And then she heard it. Faye's eyes slowly scanned down across the length of Spike's wrinkled suit to the small opening between their legs and gasped at what she saw. Four Lions ships had swung into view from behind the Lions headquarters and were quickly closing the distance between them.

Faye felt her entire body stiffen as Spike gently squeezed her even closer to him in what couldn't be called anything else but a hug. She shivered as the ships drones grew louder in her ears and tucker her head into the crook of Spike's neck. "Faye . . . Swordfish . . . hidden." Faye heard yet was unable to completely understand what Spike was trying to shout over the wind and before she had the chance to speak another loud crack of the jet pack and they were falling even faster than before. Spike gently reached up and unhooked her hands from about his neck and squeezed them lightly just before he let go of her waist.

It took a second for Faye to comprehend that she was falling, that Spike's lean frame was suddenly out of her field of vision in a trail of sparking combustion from the back firing jet pack and she was frozen as she watched the Lions ships pass above her in pursuit of Spike. Faye was completely devoid of any emotions, completely numb as she dropped towards her original destination: the hard pavement of the street below. Her mind was whirling with morbid thoughts as she tried to figure out why she found herself falling once again. Had she been shot, had a bullet ripped through her spinal cord and rendered her completely numb and useless? Or had it been Spike who had been hit, or worse, even killed by one of the Lions bullets? With her mind whirling, Faye focused blankly up at the fragmented particles of color that had drifted across the navy sky and splatter in a beautiful array of reds, pinks, and crèmes and she found her lips curving. The thought of her last moments being drenched in something so completely beautiful made her happy. Beauty was certainly something her life after the accident had lacked. And then she gasped as she smacked into something cold and hard.

Her gasp was cut short as she plunged beneath the surface of something akin to concrete, her body twitching and withering at the shocked cold that tingled across her body. Faye's eyes slowly opened to encounter a murky and clouded substance that pressed in on her from all sides, and left her with the feeling of absolute weightlessness. Her lungs were burning from the lack of air and her hair floated about her like silk strands of a spider web and as she hit a rock hard bottom. It was a peaceful place, the only sound the restless movement of the thick substance that surrounded her, and the only pain she felt was in her chest as they slowly lost what little air they held. As she bounced off the bottom and started to float upwards, a single thought broke through the shock in her mind: wasn't hell supposed to be hot?

Faye was suddenly thrashing about, her limbs stretching through the gallons of water that surrounded her and a short airless scream broke from her lips as her body broke through the surface. The shock that had overhauled her senses was suddenly fading as the cool evening air flushed across her face and it took Faye a second to gather her bearing, her chest heaving as she tread the water in the deep end of a pool.

Faye sputtered as she spat some water from her mouth and hastily wiped her eyes clear of the excess liquid that dribbled down from her hair. She had to blink several times to clear the remaining haze away before her eyes fell on the pool ledge. She ran a hand through her hair to push the loose strands that stuck to her cheeks out of her face and took a deep breath before taking long strokes towards the edge. Her whole body ached with the exertion, and she was barely able to lift her weight out of the water, her trembling limbs giving after she had crawled several feet away from the ledge and slumped onto the concrete. She lay there, convulsing in a shiver as the cool night air ravaged across her skin and covered it in goose flesh while she ravished the feeling of solid ground beneath her, coughing several times to clear her lungs of the water congestion.

As Faye slowly sat back on her heels and ran her hand through her hair again, a loud explosion rented the air. She looked up startled, her eyes widening as she watched a convergence of trees set aflame. Faye sat there watching as the Lions ships soared above the burning area, beams of light pointing earthward surveying the debris for any signs of life. "Spike." The single soft word had Faye laboring to stand, an agitated lump clamping down on her stomach as her feet propelled her forward.

Her heels squeaked with the water that had soaked into them and the lose strands of hair stuck in winding curls to her cheeks and the back of her neck. Her eyes were locked onto the burning wreckage in the trees and the only sounds that reached her ears were her uneven breathing and the fast spasms of her heart. A sickly feeling contorted her stomach muscles in a painful not, as she stumbled, one hand catching her fall as she continued to run. Faye wasn't sure what she was going to do once she got there; she was weaponless, sopping wet and sore, not a threatening disposition.

Faye increased her pace as one of the Lions ships began to fire on something in the trees, and she had to lean forward at the pull gravity had on her limbs. Before she could catch herself, Faye tripped and she slammed into the ground, her left knee slicing open as she slide across the grim covered concrete. Faye lay there half dazed for several seconds as her limbs protested any quick movements, exhaustion once again pulling at her and urging her just to give in to it. But that was only until she heard the padding of feet and the soft tones of voices closing in on her position. Warily, Faye lifted her head to see two men walking down the street, flashing lights into darkened corners as they moved. "They said he dropped her in the public pool. She can't have gotten very far on foot, not with everyone out searching for her." A rough English voice splintered through the night air.

Faye hunkered closer to the ground as there was a soft reply, and hoped that the shadows continued to keep her hidden. "We'll search the area faster if we split up. Meet me back here after you check down that way." The second voice left Faye with little doubt that English was the man's first language.

"All right." There was a soft padding of footsteps as the first man turned on his heel and walked up the street, the cylinder beam from his flashing light cutting across Faye's form yet thankfully she went unnoticed. Faye held her breath as the second man began to move towards her direction, and tensed at the light flashed above her several times. Biting back any fear she may have had and fighting back her fatigue, she poised her aching muscles to pounce, and when he drew within striking distance, she sprang to her feet and plowed into his stomach, catching him unaware.

They tumbled to the ground with Faye landing on top, and pressing all her weight down into his stomach as she straddled him, her hands coming round to clutch the back of his head and his chin, poised to snap his neck. The man sputtered under the pressure of her hands, his body rocking and fighting to get her off of him. Faye clenched her legs tighter about his waist and applied a little pressure with her hands. "Hold still or I swear I'll snap your neck!" Faye's ragged voice edged out just loud enough for the man to hear, her eyes scanning the area for his partner.

Once Faye was sure that she had not drawn any unwanted attention she turned her eyes back to her captive, a sneer crossing her visage and she lowered her head slightly so he could hear her. "How many men are on the streets?"

"Just enough to make sure you don't get away." The man sneered up at her and Faye increased the pressure on his neck and yanked his a little closer to her smirking slightly as he grimaced in pain.

"You think being cocky will save you?" When the man opened his mouth to respond Faye increased the pressure even more effectively silencing him. "Now, now, be smart. How many men are there?"

Faye watched the man's face contort with pain before he gave in, his strained voice gruff as his airway was slightly pinched. "Ten on the ground."

"That's a good boy." Faye looked up towards the edge of the street, eyes looking for his partner and watching the Lions ships fired repeatedly into the trees. "Now, what about by air?"

The man was wheezing painfully and when he hesitated to answer Faye increased the pressure again. "AH! Five! Five aircrafts! Out to take you back in any way possible!" Faye managed to mute his cry as she slammed his head into the concrete and lessened the pressure of her hands.

"On whose orders?" Faye heard someone calling in the distance and was suddenly becoming slightly frantic; the thought of being brought back to Pierre was not very appealing.

"Reeves Delmont!" Faye swung her eyes back to the man at the words, and found herself applying more pressure in her disbelief, her hands trembling slightly.

"You lie!" Her words were cool and low, and she was coming dangerously close to snapping the man's neck. Why would the man who had risked his life to save her, the man who was now labeled a traitor among the Lions, be appointed to bring her in? It didn't make any sense to Faye.

"No!" The man squealed as Faye bent his neck even further, pain evident in his tone, and his began to water. "He is under François's direct orders!"

Faye looked up as a figure turned around the corner, and she sunk down closer to her captive and lowered her voice. "And those orders are what exactly?" Faye watched as the man's partner started to come down the street, his body language showed his agitation and Faye could see the gun that he held ready in front of him.

"His orders were either to kill the last remaining Red Dragon of the old syndicate or capture you by using any means necessary – even if he has to kill you." Her captive's voice had steadily losing volume as his airway pinched shut with each twist of his neck, and was now barely audible. Without so much of a second thought, Faye slammed the man's head into the pavement, the dull thud effectively silencing him and she only released him when she saw his eyes roll back into his head.

Before Faye could move the other man was upon her, firing several shots as she lunged away from the body, a couple of bullets pelting into the ground behind her. She didn't have any time to hesitate as she quickly stumbled to her feet and blindly charged the man, slamming into his chest and batting the gun from his hand. As they hit the ground she heard the satisfying clang of metal against pavement as his gun was flung from his grip which was quickly followed by the dull yet sickening thud as his head smacked into the cement.

Faye achingly climbed off of him, not daring to give his still figure another glance as she went in search for the gun he had dropped. She quickly came across the piece, a victorious smile slipping across her features as she clutched it close to her chest. She had no doubt that the gun shots would draw attention, and she wanted to be as far away as possible by the time her searchers came down this way. Mustering her strength, Faye wrapped one arm about her shivering frame and started to jog down the street, eyes alert for any movement.

As she moved through the streets towards the burning trees, Faye found herself wondering what Reeves real intentions were when he helped her escape. Was it possible that he was just trying to gain her trust before he put a bullet into her head later? But why would he go to such drastic measures to save her only to kill her after she had escaped? And he had promised that he wouldn't kill her, of course she was finding it hard to trust people these days.

Faye put her back to the wall of a building and peered around the corner to see a man walking away from her flashing a light into the shadows as he made his way down the road, every now and then going closer to an object to inspect it. Faye waited until his attention was turned on a garbage can and was about to run out into the street as an aircraft zoomed overhead, a bright light sweeping across the intersection. Faye pressed her back further up against the wall and froze; her heart thumbing as the light approached her.

Faye blinked in surprise as the aircraft suddenly light up in a ball of flames and she barely had time to dive out of the way as it crashed into the street, the Hammerhead went flaring by titling back and lifting upwards as several ships tailed it. Faye couldn't be sure if Jet had seen her or not, but was thankful either way as she plowed into the street, a surprised cry from the searcher as she ran across the intersection her frame lit up by the burning wreckage. But she knew that the searcher was too far down the street to be a threat to her.

Faye focused on her destination, her water-logged shoes squeaking with each pound of the pavement, her hair frizzing as it had started to dry, though her clothes were still damp and heavy. Blood had coated her left leg in a trail that flowed down from her knee and her lower lips was still throbbing painfully, but the most painful thing of all was the fact that the Lions ships were no longer firing into the trees, which produced the thought that Spike might already be dead. But it was as she neared the edge of town, Faye realized that she was running towards the crash site for Reeves sake as much as Spike's, for she knew that Spike wasn't one to go down easily, and that it might be Reeves who ended up dead, and thought she barely knew him, she couldn't pass up the fact that he had risked his life to save her, even if it was part of a bigger scheme.

Faye's thought were broken as one of the Lions planes suddenly fired off several rounds of bullets into the trees, the bullet trail cutting through trunk after trunk as it followed something through the dark massive poles. Faye felt her hope rise, she knew that the Lions wouldn't be firing into the trees to kill a squirrel, no, Spike was most definitely alive.

Faye paused just at the outskirts of the town, and slumped back against a wall to catch her breath, her eyes sweeping across the one hundred yards of open field that separated her from the burning trees. She adjusted the gun in her hand and licked her lips, wincing at the small pinch of pain that vibrated through her lower jaw. She readied herself to dash across the opening but was forcefully paused and tensed as a Lions ship suddenly flew passed her, a bright light slowly sweeping across the ground searching for movement. Faye was thankful as the light swept by her form unnoticed and as soon as it had she didn't waste any time, and sprinted out into the field lifting her gun towards the ship and firing. The first few bullets chipped at the metal exterior of the plane, sparking as each small ball of metal ricocheted off it before Faye became very fortunate. One bullet managed to grind its way into the engine, and Faye barely had time to dive away into the weedy grass as the aircraft shuddered and groaned as it came crashing down.

Faye swiftly picked herself up, turning in time to see another Lions plane approaching, most likely coming to investigate the commotion. The ship suddenly focused in on her, a whirl of its guns let Faye know that it was about to fire on her. Raising the gun Faye fired blindly at the ship as she started to run towards the trees, one of her bullets shattering through the search light as she tripped over the bramble of the field. Suddenly the aircraft dipped and headed on a collision course straight for her. Faye barely had time to dive out of the way, bouncing across the hard grassy ground as the empty click of her gun echoed in her ears. The wind kicked up around her as the ship barely buzzed passed her still form and shot skywards again, and Faye watched as it circled about readying to make another pass.

"Oh, shit!" Faye was suddenly on her feet, the empty gun dropping from her grasp as she turned and began to spring towards the tree line. She could hear the snaps of bullets pelting into the ground behind her, and she doubled her pace as one twanged passed her ear, and leaned forward to gain some momentum. With a surge of adrenaline, Faye burst through the tree line, and a single bullet grazed the skin of her shoulder with enough force to send her sprawling to the ground. Faye slide across the mud, limbs knocking into tree roots and other bramble. Quickly she was on her feet again, ignoring the pain that shot through her bones and pushed onwards, legs scrambling and slipping across the must as she tried to put as much distance between her and the lightless ship.

It was only when she could no longer hear the hum of the ships engine did she allow herself to slow down, and found herself so unsteady, so unstable that she had sunk to her knees in exhaustion before it had registered. Beads of sweat trailed down her temples and forehead, and her arms hung limply at her sides as she tried focused on her surroundings. The smell of smoke was heavy in her nostrils even though the burning trees were a good distance away; she knew it wouldn't be long until the whole area was consumed by the fire. Slowly standing, she leaned back against the nearest tree, as she tried to slow and even out her breathing.

As Faye stood there she could dimly hear two sets of voices in the distant. Curiosity getting the best of her, Faye slowly straightened and peered about in the darkness as she listened to the low drones. With her best judgment, Faye cautiously maneuvered through the dark masses of trees, stopping every few seconds to get her bearings by locating the sound. It wasn't long until she found the source of the voices, two ships were sitting in the middle of a clearing, and Faye felt her breath hitch as she recognized the red one.

"You don't sound so confident." Faye snapped to attention as she heard the familiar cocky voice of the person who owned the Swordfish. Faye looked over the Lions ship searching for its owner but couldn't make out his figure among the trees.

"You don't need confidence to kill a person." Reeves voice cut through the blackness like a knife and Faye found herself stopping just outside the light boundary and eyed the two men who stood ten feet apart in the middle of the clearing. Reeves had a barrel of a gun leveled at Spike's head, and though Spike was weaponless and obviously hurt – blood was dripping down his forehead and into his eyes, while he held his left shoulder back slightly, which left Faye with little doubt that he had dislocated it - Faye could easily see the tremble down Reeves back. Spike stood there with both of his hands in the coat of his pocket, his demeanor was cool, cocky and he appeared to be completely indifferent to the fact that a gun was aimed at him.

"Then kill me. Go ahead, shoot. No one's stopping you." Faye was all too familiar with that aloof tone and knew that Spike wasn't the least bit afraid of Reeves. Faye took several steps into the light, her hands balling into fists as she apprehensively watched the pair; she didn't want to see either of these men die. When Reeves hesitated Spike shook his head, a dry chuckle echoed about the trees. "That's what I thought." Spike slowly turned his back on Reeves, and started to walk back towards the Swordfish. "No wonder they sent you, you must be very expendable."

Faye watched as Spike moved towards the Swordfish, and Reeves shook with anger. For a second Faye thought that Reeves was going to drop his gun and allow Spike to leave, but suddenly he was shivering in an uncontrolled rage. "You must die!" Faye looked at Reeves hardened face, his body tensing as he raised his gun even higher and was suddenly racing through the trees.

"No!" Faye's angry shriek drew Spike's attention, his cool mask of nonchalance slipping into something akin to fear as Reeves gun cracked with life. Faye barreled into his side and the bullet barely zinged passed them and lodged into the bark of a nearby tree. Spike's arms were suddenly around Faye waist again as he turned them about so his larger frame took the brunt of the fall, and they rolled along the grassy ground only coming to a stop a few feet from the Swordfish. Faye lay motionless across Spike's broad chest for several seconds before she slowly raised her eyes to inspect him, making sure that he was relatively unharmed. Once again jade met mahogany and all Faye could really do was smile down at the shocked look that was pasted across his face. Once she was sure that they were both still alive, she turned her attention to Reeves, and slowly struggled to stand. "I won't let you shoot him, Reeves."

Faye slowly turned around so she was facing Reeves, and blocking Spike from his view. "Get out of here, Faye! This has nothing to do with you!" Reeves voice was filled with uncertainty and she could see that he was relatively unbalanced. Something had happened to the cocky man in the short time she had been away from him, and Spike was most definitely right about one thing, his confidence was shot.

Faye heard Spike shuffling about as he stood, and heard the angry growl that exited deep from within his throat. "Hell right it doesn't." Though he sounded extremely angry, the hand that found its way to Faye's shoulder was gentle and reassuring. "Get out of here Faye."

Faye softly took hold of the hand that was on her shoulder and softly squeezed it before shrugging it off and taking a few steps closer to Reeves. When Spike made to grab her again, Faye turned to look into his eyes and sent him a warm smile and gave him a small reassuring nod. As she stared up into his concern gaze she found that she wanted nothing more than to fall into his embrace and let him take care of things, but her need for an answer was too great. She knew that her mind wouldn't settle until she knew what had happened with Reeves.

"No, I'm not going anywhere. Because this has everything to do with me." Faye turned back to Reeves and her eyes narrowed a fraction. "The fact that your orders are to capture me by any means necessary means it has a whole lot to do with me." She watched as Reeves tensed, and shifted uncomfortably but never lowered his gun. "You promised you wouldn't kill me, Reeves. And the only way that you're going to get to Spike is by killing me. So just tell me what happened . . . or are you going to go back on your word?"

Reeves face filtered through an array of emotions before his gun dipped slightly. Spike was shifting about behind her, and she was vaguely aware that he was calculating and weighing the best options to take Reeves down. "He must die!" Reeves agonizing voice cut through Faye's thoughts and brought her back to the situation at hand. "He must die or they're going to kill him! They're going to kill the only person I care about!" Faye was suddenly swamped with understanding. "They call me the filthy half breed, but look at what he's doing to his own people! Even if we aren't _natural_ French, but neither is he!" Reeves anguish was breaking her heart and as she opened her mouth to speak, a demented glint was flashing in his eyes. "He wants you! He wants to see your blood. I'll do anything to get him back!"

Before Faye realized what was happening, Spike had shoved her to the ground as bullets that were intended to be lodged in her head went sailing over them. Reeves' was absolutely insane, bullets cracking the air in every direction as he fired blindly without any intent on nailing one specific person. Faye was vaguely aware of Spike suddenly jumping to his feet and lunging for Reeves. The sound of flesh hitting flesh ringing in her ears as the two men battled. Faye continued to lay on the ground in a daze, her limbs unmoving from the exhaustion that had molded onto her bones and paralyzed her. She was barely hanging on to the edge of reality, a paltry witness to the combat that was happening about her.

"Faye!" And then she realized that someone was screaming her name. "Faye! Get the gun!" She slowly looked up to see Spike crouched beneath Reeves, one of his hands pushing Reeves back by the neck, and the other grasping Reeves hand that held a knife poised to strike into his neck. The fingers of Reeves right hand was viciously grappling Spike's shoulder, adding more pressure to the recently popped socket with the more resistance he got. Faye stared at the person who had so drastically changed in such a short period of time and realized that if you loved someone enough, it would make you crazy enough to do anything.

Faye glanced about her to see the gun lying in front of her like an offering from the gods. Slowly she reached out and picked it up; holding it daintily between her fingers like it was a foreign object. "Faye!" Spike cried again, his voice ragged as he was steadily losing air. As Faye looked over at Reeves she had a pristine moment of clarity. Spike. Spike had come. Not because he was chasing after his angel and not because of his past. He had come to save her. He had come to save her even when he knew the chances of getting to her were slim. And she remembered the look in his eyes, she had seen something there that she had always wanted to see, something she would never have believed was real if she didn't see it there now. Underneath the straining features there was fear; fear that showed he was desperate and crazy . . . crazy the way he was with Julia.

As this clarity washed over her, Faye found that she understood the emotions that had corrupted Reeves, for as she sat there nothing else mattered exceptSpike. Nothing else mattered except his life, because she realized how desperately she needed him, how desperately she loved him, how she always had loved him.

Faye whipped her head around, and corrected her grip on the gun, relishing the feel of the warm heavy metal in her hands. She slowly stood and turned towards the two fighting men, her heart wrenching as she realized what she had to do. "Reeves!" Faye leveled the gun towards Reeves head her aching body stumbling forward as she tried to make herself look stronger than she felt; as she struggled to show more confidence than she really had. Though she didn't like the thought, in the end, she knew that one of them was going to die. Reeves had been right, you didn't need confidence to shoot someone, but it made things a hell of a lot easier if you had it; easier to blot out the fact that you killed someone completely innocent..

Faye stopped a few feet away from the pair, and her eyes narrowed dangerously as Reeves looked up to her with a sinister grin. "Reeves," her voice was low and threatening. "Get off of him." The viciousness in her voice made it sound as if she had all the confidence in the world.

Reeves gave Faye the most pleading look before he turned into a snarl. "Is he really worth it? Would you really shoot the man who saved your life for this pathetic lost soul?" Faye watched as Reeves turned back to Spike and sharply applied pressure on the knife, and Spike grunted as the knife drew even closer to his neck.

Faye swallowed as she tried to keep the bile from rising in her throat, and suppressed the shuddered of killing someone at such close range. "Even after all you've done for me, I would still shoot you. 'Cause I'm just like you, Reeves. I'd do anything to save him." Faye felt her breath hitch as she realized how true the statement was, and didn't dare look in Spike's direction for fear of what emotions would be on his face. Instead she took a deep breath and pressed on, her voicesteady but soft. "This is your last chance Reeves . . . get off of him." Reeves didn't reply, but she could tell that he knew that he had lost, even though he didn't move from his position above Spike. Faye took a deep breath and briefly closed her eyes as her finger brushed against the trigger. The metal burned in her hand as her trigger finger pulled back and the gun gave. The bullet gushed through the barrel and a heated metal pellet crashed through Reeves ribcage and sent him rolling across the ground.

Faye watched as Reeves body rolled to a stop and lay there blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Faye felt her entire body quivering, and an onslaught of tears rushed down her cheeks as her steel barriers finally broke away. All the pain she had bundled up in the last few days came out in a torrential downpour of emotion. The gun dropped from her hands and she found herself running over to Reeves body, unable to form any words over the strong sobs that congested her chest. Faye slowly knelt down beside him, her trembling hands coming up to brush away some hair that had fallen into his face.

As she leaned above him sobbing, Reeves eyes slowly opened and a small smile cracked his lips. "You did . . . what you had to." His soft voice caused Faye to jump but she found that she couldn't form words anymore than she could make sense of her decision to kill him. "I . . . would have. . . killed him." Reeves coughed as blood gathered in his mouth, the only sign of internal bleeding.

As Faye watched him sputtering she was able to find her voice. "It didn't have to be this way." Reeves slowly brought a hand up to her face and gave her a lopsided smirk.

"I would. . . have killed . . . you too." Reeves coughed again and his eyes began to tear. "Pierre . . . filthy mixed breed . . . killed my love." Reeves looked up into her eyes as his hand dropped away from her face. "The Dragon. . . really loves. . . you." The last word came out in a rush of warm air and Faye felt her breath hitch. She looked down at Reeves, his face completely white and his skin cold to her touch. His chest was no longer rising and falling with each labored breath and she knew he was gone.

Faye was so immersed in her emotions that she didn't hear the footsteps come to a halt behind her. Spike knelt besides her slumped body, and she jumped as his warm and steady hands came up and wrapped about her slender waist, hauling her into his chest. Faye slowly wrapped her arms about his neck and buried her face into the crook of his neck, trying to stop the shivers that were running throughout her body. "Please get me out of here, Spike." Spike didn't reply but gently nodded, one of his hands began running up and down her back comfortingly. And thought there was no sign of it in his body language and he hadn't spoken, there was a jolt of understanding that they would be talking about what had happened later.

As they settled into the swordfish, Faye sitting across Spike lap, Spike gently brushed her hair from her face, his hand putting a reassuring pressure on her back, letting her know that he was there, that he wouldn't leave her. Fayewas suddenly consumed in amassive outbreak of emotions, tears rolling down her cheeks unheeded and her whole body convusling with the sobs. It had been a long couple of days of pent up emotions.Faye allowed Spike to pull her into the warmth of his broad chest,and gently kissed the top of her head before he started the engine. And as Faye drifted off to sleep in his arms, she found that at that moment, even though she was an absolute wreck, there was definitely no where else she would rather be.

_An: Well there you have it, the real chapter 8. This chapter didn't fall together as nicely as I had been hoping it would, I'm definitely not thrilled about this chapter . . . I felt it is very weak to what I had in mind, but it gets the point across and moves the story forward. I haven't started the next chapter yet, but I do plan to get it going tonight, so hopefully it won't be too long until the next update. And just a little teaser for the next chapter, we find out more about Grandma Ji! Till then, take it easy!_

Icebaby: A new reviewer! Yay! That makes me so happy! And it made me put down the video game controller and seriously write for once. Till next time!

Kyra1: I couldn't help it, I just had to run with your idea. It was too tempting. I mean it was such a great idea there was no way that I could let it go. Besides, it got my started on this chapter. . . I was having trouble getting it out and once I wrote that things started to flow. So just think of it this way – you were the inspiration for this chapter. And let's just say I like being morbid from time to time . . . I so rarely get the chance to be macabre in real life that it just filters out in my writing. Lol. Sorry I embarrassed you, but I had to give credit were credit was due. Hope this chapter was all right. Till next time, take it easy!

Lilpinkpookie: Sorry for confusing you, but I hope that I cleared things up. Hope you enjoyed this update. Till next time!

Dannie-chan: That is kinda creepy . . . but I think it's because Italian and French are sorta similar . . . you said something about false happiness in a walnut shell? Or something along those lines? Eek. Okay, I probably read that wrong. I submit. You rule! I am so glad you like that last chapter . . . it was actually very fun to write. This chapter on the other hand took forever and I'm not all too pleased with it, but hey at least I brought Spike and Jet back in right? Lol. Take it easy!

Firevixen73: But I love leaving people hanging. It keeps them coming back to find out what happens next! You can't blame me for loving cliffhangers! Lol. Hope this chapter put you back on your feet. Till next time!

Angels Heart 1622: Indeed, very poor Reeves. I can't believe I killed him off so quickly, but I guess he served his purpose. I don't think I would have the courage to jump in the first place! Hats off to Faye! Take it easy!

NANOU66: Offend me? Never. It takes a lot to offend me. No, I knew I was butchering the French . . . just think of my mistakes as the new French language after the Gate Explosion. LOL. No, but really thank you. If you see any other mistakes of mine, please correct me. Till next time!

Zottie: Awww. You make me all weepy with joy! I love it when people say "damn it's good!" Makes me feel all special! This chapter wasn't as good, but I feel that the fact that I brought Spike and Jet back in makes up for it, right? Lol. Till next time!

Kendra Luehr: Aw. Why must you always make me blush? I bet you're happy that I brought Spike back into the picture. I've been wanting to for some time now, and I still think it's a little soon, but I couldn't wait any longer. I really want to get some more FxS in there. Anyways, till next time! Take it easy!

KittyVicious: I had hoped that when Faye pulled a Spike that it would lead to how was going to save her . . . or at least hint at it. I'm glad it went over so well. I was actually kinda worried what people would think about the classic Spike ending. Anyways, know this chapter wasn't the greatest, but at least Spike's back in it. So let me know what you think! See you next chapter!

Kuro-Ippikiookami21: I feel kinda bad because her alliance was so short lived. I killed off Reeves really quickly but I wanted to make a point and I hope I did it. OMG! I know exactly what you are talking about with the page loading! That is so damn annoying! Especially when it's a story I really want to read! Drives me insane! I'm glad you think the mixed breed thing works, let's see if I can continue to pull it off. Hee hee. I'm glad no one absolutely hates my interlude; it was just way too good of an idea to pass up on. Plus it got me writing this chapter. Anyways. Till next time. Take it easy!

Oyuki: Don't worry, Spike's got her. Maybe it was a little clichéd, but I couldn't pass on the opportunity to bring Spike and Jet back into the story . . . now the only question is where are they going to live? Uh-oh. (Smiles) Till next time!

Milky Wings: Well I'm glad you found me! Just stop making me blush! Nope, I really don't mind if you add it to your faves at all! I'm just happy to have a new reviewer! I love new reviewers! Anyways, this chapter wasn't as good as the last but I think it gets the job done, right? Take it easy!

xDianaMoonx: Truthfully, I wasn't sure what I thought of Reeves either, but I guess it really doesn't matter now does it? Ah! You keep making all these connections that I've never noticed! I think somewhere in the back of my mind I might have been basing Reeves off of Gren, but I really didn't think about it until now. Hm. I love it when you draw random conclusions . . . makes me look even deeper into my own work! Ah, yes, my interlude. I did enjoy writing that, but I really did think that people were going to kill me for it. Lol. Hope this chapter turned out all right! Till next time, Take it easy!

Jadedghostgurl: Ah, how I love randomness, let's you get a better view of what others are really like. I've watched _Lost_ near the end; my roommate was really into it so I saw the a couple of episodes. Thought I can't say I am in love with him, I can say that I really do like him! (winks) Till next time!

Wh00t: Ah! Yay! I love yays! I want many more of them! Lol. Hope you like this chapter! Till next time!

Kim: You read it all I one sitting? Wow! I didn't think it could hold anybody's interest for that long of time! I was planning on doing more with Reeves, but that meant that I would have had to keep Spike and Jet out of the story for a little longer and it would have broken my heart to do so. So I offed him. Lol. Althought, that does sound like a good idea… maybe I'll revive Reeves later for another interlude. (winks) Take it easy!

Lt. Lady Nyru: Soon, or I'll go crazy? Is that what that says? Don't go crazy, crazy is bad! Here's the next chapter to keep you sane! Lol. I'm glad you liked this! Take it easy!


	11. Chapter 9

_An: As always notes at bottom. And please excuse typos and such – I don't edit very well._

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop

The Last Fragments of You

Alternative Therapy

Chapter 9

Jet looked up as the door of the motel room swung open, the mid morning light casting deep shadows around and across the man's angular face as he stepped into the room. It was only when he softly shut the door behind him did his black outline fade to match the grey tint of the room and revealed Spike's weary eyes which were locked on the motionless figure who lay clothed in pale sheets on the bed. Spike dropped two shopping bags by the closet door and gingerly shrugged off his coat before throwing it over the back of the chair which sat across the table from Jet. "Yo." The single syllable was accompanied by a half wave as he unceremoniously plopped into the chair and propped his feet up on the table. Jet raised an eyebrow but only replied by sliding his cigarette pack across the grooved wood and taking a hit of his own cigarette.

Spike smirked as he picked up the pack, and took the last cigarette before he crushed the feeble cardboard box within his fist and threw it lazily back where it originally was. Jet watched quietly as Spike lit up, the end of the stick smoldering to a dark red before smoke drifted up to the ceiling. Jet carefully flicked the end of his own cigarette into a nearby ashtray before he folded his hands in front of him, his eyes taking on a serious and slightly threatening look that almost instantly drew Spike's mismatched eyes. "What took you so long, Spike? I only sent you out to get a few necessities for Faye. It shouldn't take that long to get clothes, toiletries, and a first aid kit. I was thinking the Lions had gotten a hold of you."

Just by looking at him, Spike could tell that Jet wasn't really all that upset, just a little weary. It had been well over twenty-four hours since they had gotten any sleep and quite a few more than that worrying about Faye. Spike's gaze once again drifted to the only bed in the room, and locked blankly on the slender form hidden beneath the pale sheets.

As the sheets continued their slow rise and fall, the memory of a narrow snake-like face grinning at him through the pixels of a monitor plagued his mind. It had been over eight years sine he had last seen that face, last seen Pierre Dragonetti, and not much about the man had changed. "Ah, Bonjour Monsieur Spiegel." The roughly accented English caused Spike to wince.

"Well, well. If it isn't a Dragonetti. I was wondering when you would be man enough to show your face." Spike kept his face neutral, not entirely surprised to see the face of one of its leaders after so many failed attempts to kill him. "And here I thought with the fall of the Lions that one of the Red Dragons had got you. I guess a man can never be so lucky."

Spike didn't miss the way Pierre's face fell and twisted into a snarl. Pierre's nostrils slowly expanded in a flare in his anger, his body shaking as he tired to control his temper. "A fictional animal could never kill the King of the jungle, Spiegel."

Spike's eyebrow slowly rose. "So says the half-breed."

A low growl vibrated from deep within Pierre's chest as he tried to keep collected against the low attacks of the old Dragon Syndicate member, one of the few men who knew the truth about him – one of the major reasons why Spike had to die. "That is not of consequence." Pierre fought to rein back his emotions. "There are other things to discuss."

Spike couldn't keep the smirk off his face. "Apparently." His amused tone was not lost on Pierre. "Otherwise you wouldn't dare confront me, not after the way you left the Dragons. I still owe you one for that last day." The memories had hardened Spike's voice. "Tell me, has your brother learned to fully accept you yet, or is he going to kill you with the rest of the filth?" Spike watched as Pierre seethed.

"You aren't any better than him, Spiegel. I bet you ran out on your comrades on that tin bucket fishing ship, the same way you ran from your syndicate. Tell me," Pierre mocked, malice lacing his ever word. "Did you enjoy listening to their dying screams as that ship exploded?"

Spike felt something cold drench him. "What?"

Pierre's sinister smile made Spike's gut clench. "Oh? Didn't you know?" Spike watched as Pierre's eyes morphed into something akin to smugness. "I saw to it personally that the piece of garbage ship went down in a whirl of flames along with whoever was on it." Spike began to growl and Pierre's smirk just widened. Pierre glanced somewhere off screen for a long moment, before his eyes slide back to the screen. "But I guess it doesn't really matter if you weren't there. We always have some form of backup. And I must give you credit, Spiegel. I can see why you went to such lengths to pretend you were dead after you brought down our old syndicate; Mademoiselle Valentine is a very rare beauty. . . at least while her temper is in check."

Spike had all but lost it at that point, but he managed to keep it from his face. He barely heard Pierre telling him to come meet him at the Lions HQ for the exchange on the roof – his life for hers.

Spike had sat there for several minutes before his communicator went off. He opened it without a word and was relieved to see Jet's angry face, apparently Pierre had not been as thorough as he had thought. It hadn't taken Jet long to figure out why the guidance system wasn't working as well as it should have been. Though Jet had tried to disarm the bomb it quickly became apparent that the device had been out of his knowledge and he quickly found safety in the Hammerhead, barely getting away as the Bebop was blown to bits. Once Jet had settled down, though anger was still flushed across his features, he looked wearier than anything else. "A ship is just a ship, Spike. All that matters right now is finding Faye. You got a plan?"

Spike couldn't help the savage smile that crossed his lips. "Head towards Doohan's place. I'll meet you there, Jet." Spike was jolted back to the present as Faye shifted on the bed, a soft groan accompanying the movement. He took another hit off his cigarette as he tried to forget the words that had passed between him and Faye the last time they had talked. He had been angry, no, angry wasn't right – he had been panicked. If he had been smart in the first place and told her about the Lions then she would have never been in that situation. Of course, Spike couldn't forget his logic for not telling her in the first place: Faye was a woman who refused to listen to anyone when she had her mind set on something. Spike snorted and slowly allowed the smoke to curl out of his mouth and up to the ceiling, his head shaking slightly. And she called him a piece of work.

Spike looked up as he heard Jet sigh heavily. "You went back to the Lion's HQ, didn't you?" Spike eyed Jet critically trying to calculate how to answer him, but the hard look in the older man's eyes told Spike that Jet already knew the answer. Jet sighed again and raised a hand to lazily rub one of his temples as his eyes slowly slide closed. "Did you find his body?"

Spike gave Jet a lopsided smile that held no other emotion except nonchalance. "Yup." He slowly brought his hand up to reveal a small computer chip that was slowly rolling across his knuckles, glinting on what little sun filtered through the drawn curtains. Spike smiled as he flicked the chip into the air and easily caught it with the same hand before presenting it to Jet. "Found it lodged just underneath his skin, right up against the spinal cord."

Jet gingerly took the chip between his index finger and thumb, a look of disgust crossing his face as he eyed it. "And how'd you get it?"

"You really want to know?"

The look of amusement that crossed Spike's face made Jet flinch, a number of ideas playing through his mind as he found himself thinking that it was probably better that he didn't know. "No, I guess not." Jet carefully set it down and eyed it skeptically as another thought popped into his head. "Was the body easy to find?"

Spike's smile widened and he couldn't keep his features straight. "Wasn't exactly a walk in the park, Jet." When he saw that Jet was waiting for him to explain Spike slowly dipped his cigarette into the ashtray and leaned back, smoke curling from the slit between his lips. "They had picked him up by the time I got there. They wouldn't want to leave that kind of evidence lying around."

"So you had to go into the Lions Headquarters." Jet guessed his dark eyes held an amount of uneasiness in them.

"Right into the Lions den." Spike's focus was locked on the chip and though he was answering Jet's questions with ease, his mind was else where, mainly the girl that was lying asleep on the only bed in the cheap motel room. When he was going to rescue Faye, it hadn't been as difficult to get close to the Lions HQ as Spike had thought it was going to be, especially considering that they knew he was coming. Spike had hidden the swordfish in the tree lines just beyond the borders of the town that held the Lions HQ. It hadn't been as hard as he thought it would have been to sneak into enemy territory without being noticed, plus Doohan had supplied him with some "under the radar equipment" when he heard him say that's what they needed to Jet.

But the second time he went, to get the chip, had been slightly more difficult. They were trying to rebuild what had burnt down and keep it under lock and key so the town surrounding them didn't notice. Of course, Spike hadn't been in the Red Dragons Syndicate for nothing. Spike turned his mahogany gaze back to Jet who was giving him a blank stare.

Jet just shook his head at Spike's nonchalance, and slowly cleared this throat when he realized that he had the younger man's attention again. "A miracle that you made it out of their unscathed and unnoticed."

"The place was in mass disarray thanks to Faye's little roof leaping escapade. Pretty easy to get around." Spike lied and looked up at Jet's shaded eyes, and immediately knew that Jet could read the lies that were pouring off of him. Spike cracked a smile and chuckled lightly, amused that Jet was getting to know him so well.

"Goddamn it, Spike! You make it seem like this is one big joke." Jet's frustration, Spike knew, was mainly due to lack of sleep and worry. The dark bags under his eyes were evident enough of that and Spike was finding it rather comforting to know that Jet would care so much. Jet sighed and once again eyed the chip. "So how'd you know about that thing?"

Spike froze up at the question; images of his days at the Red Dragon Syndicate bombarded his mind. The worst of them the blonde haired woman who haunted his every night with her unfeeling eyes, the woman who had once told him how much she had loved him, and then continue to tell him that when she knew it was no longer true. In the end, she went with him not because she still cared for him, no she went with him because she felt that she had too, that she had to make up for the lies. His angel, who turned out to be a devil from paradise.

"Red Dragon Intel." Spike managed to keep his voice void of emotion. "Some of the Red Dragons had been keeping tabs on the Lions science programs, and through a network of spies, discovered that they had been developing a prototype. They had been at it for a long time, but never had much success with it."

Spike sighed and shook his head as he brought his eyes back up to Jet sure that his mismatched eyes were completely hardened. "I never believed it was possible. And I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself. That guy . . . when he first stumbled across me he was scared shitless, shaking, eyes watering. You know how people get when their not thinking right. He was normal. But then he was completely changed – almost mechanical." Spike shook his head at the memory before he reached across and picked up the chip, the small device glinted in the dim light of the room. "It was too fucking weird Jet. He was saying normal things but . . . his tone wasn't natural."

Spike's eyes were locked on the chip lost in the memory of the man's last moments. He was jolted out of his thought out of his thoughts as Jet's voice cut through the haze. "But how do you know that chip is the thing that made him that way?"

Spike slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of papers. "Got my proof." He slid them across the table to Jet who slowly picked them up, eyes wide as he scanned the contents. "One of the scientists gave me a little printout – a very cooperative old man." Jet ignored the cynical tone that resided in his friends voice as he began to page through the printout.

"Shit, Spike. Have you read through this?" Jet looked up to see Spike slowly stand, his eyes focused once again on Faye, a line of worry marring his features. Jet followed his gaze to the bed, and it only took a few seconds for him to realize what Spike was thinking. "Spike you don't think . . ." Jet trailed off not daring to continue what he was going to ask.

"I don't know."

There was a few seconds of silence as Spike stooped by the bedside and stared down at the pale face of the violet haired woman, his mahogany eyes usually unreadable now holding something akin to fear. Jet slowly stood but didn't dare move any closer to the bed as Spike pulled back the covers. "How can you tell if a person has one?" Jet's voice quivered slightly.

Spike slowly rolled up the back of Faye's shirt to expose her bruised back. He eyed the column of her spinal cord before he leaned forward and gently placed the tips of his fingers on the bones just below the nap of her neck, eyes closing in concentration. "You can feel it."

* * *

Faye slowly wiped her hand across the steam smudged mirror, little beads of water streaking the glass in a leftover residue and distorting her dampened image. She stared blankly at her reflection, unfocused eyes not seeing her soggy hair and dripping face but blurred over by the images that she had awoken too a little over an hour ago. She had been jarred into consciousness as the sound of a hollow crack of a gun vibrated in her eardrums, and the memory of what she had done was imprinted on her rudely awaken mind. She had killed; killed for what she hoped and wanted to be the right choice, but found the doubts in her mind where overhauling all reason.

Faye dashed away the few tears that had managed to roll down her cheek and blinked away the rest, drawing several deep breaths to keep herself calm. She was battered and tired, her lower lip not as badly split as she had first thought, but still throbbed like it had been cut off entirely. She gently began to push the motel's cheap towel through her violet locks in a weak attempt to dry them, padding down softly afraid to push to harshly against one of the many bums that she had received from Pierre.

Faye could feel her whole body tremble as the last images of Reeves played through her mind once again, and no matter how desperately she tried to reason with herself that she had made the right decision, she still found it hard to believe that she wasn't a murder. But something hadn't been right with him, he had changed so drastically. Why had such a sane man suddenly become so unstable, so unhinged? From the few hours she had spent with him, she thought she had knew him, or at least, understood him, but now she wasn't sure of what she knew anymore.

Faye grabbed a fresh towel from the rack and wrapped it about her naked, bruised body, goose flesh coating her exposed skin despite the warmth of the room. Faye knew that the memory of Reeves that would truly stick with her would be the insane one and the idea that he had been so human for a short time caused a rather large jolt of uncertainty to spike through and up her spine.

With shaky fingers, Faye fumbled through on of the bags that Spike had handed her just before she had stepped into the wash room. Faye's eyes traveled to the set of clothes that he had also gotten for her, a small smile crossing her lips at his thoughtfulness. Everything she owned had been on the Bebop, and after talking with Jet, she learned that there hadn't been much worth salvaging from the wreckage. For the first time an image of a younger her flashed through her mind, bright eyed with a big smile cheering her on.

Faye shook her head as she slowly drew out a large, ungodly yellow, plastic comb from the bag. She stared down at the object shocked yet pleasantly surprised at Spike's considerateness. As she slowly brought the comb up to her hair, she couldn't help but think back to the last time she had really talked with Spike. They had both been angry – something that was never uncommon when it came down to them – but there had also been something close to desperation in his voice.

Faye's movements slowed and the comb moved away from the knots in her hair as her eyes became unfocused once again with the memory of Spike's voice. The sound of his desperation was ringing sharply in her ears and a moment of clarity overcame Faye. Spike had known about the Lions; he knew that they were after him. The handcuffs, the kiss, everything – they had been acts of a desperate man who would never stoop to pleading. Spike had tried everything to keep Faye on the Bebop, but she had been too stubborn to listen, even when he had spoken with such sincerity, she allowed her anger to cloud her reason. He allowed her to provoke him into an argument, and his harsh tactless words, had driven in the final nail and sending her away.

For some reason unknown to Faye, this realization opened her up to the immense flood of tears that slowly unraveled her. The yellow plastic comb tumbled from her fingertips as wave after wave of hot and needy tears clouded her vision. The choking sobs were raw and broken sounding, twisting her gut with emotions that she hadn't felt in years. Her knees buckled beneath her, and she was shocked to find that she was squatting on the tile, arms wrapped about her toweled torso as she rocked back and forth as the sobs dominated her very being. It was the first time she allowed herself to cry since the disaster had begun, and the relief that came with the breaking of the damn helped to clear her head.

Faye wasn't sure how long she had knelt on the floor, but by the time she roused her legs to stand her knees throbbed painfully in protest and her hair had dried into a state of frizzy disarray. She softly wiped her eyes clear of tears with the back of her wrist as her other hand poured the rest of the contents of the bag onto the counter. She stared at her reflection for a moment, at her puffy and red eyes, and realized that it had been too long since she had last had a long, good cry.

Once she was completely sure that she had gathered her wits about her again, Faye leaned over and picked up the comb, running it through the frizz a few times in an attempt to tame the wild beast before giving up and throwing her hair back into a ponytail. Faye smeared some medicine across her split lower lip – the only thing that had been left in Spike's little care package – before she moved over to pull on the gray sweats and white tee shirt when raised voices caught her attention.

The mumbled yells of Jet and Spike made Faye's gut clench as she bounced on one foot struggling to pull her foot out of the bottom of the pants leg. The boys were never usually prone to fight, for better or worse the two men of the Bebop had always managed to get along. Shrugging on her tee shirt, Faye carefully cracked the bathroom door to see Jet standing in the doorway to the main room. "Spike! I'm not done talking to you! She needs to know about it! Spike!" Jet's grumble of a voice was snapped off as he angrily slammed the door behind him as he walked out after the lanky man.

Faye felt her eyebrow rise as she slowly stepped out into the room and surveyed the bleakness that smelled like cigarettes. Skeptically eyeing the door Faye plodded into the middle of the room, the heavy stench of smoke causing her insides to twist in an undeniable craving.

Faye's eyes wandered to the crumpled cigarette pack that lay discarded on the table, a disgusted looked making her brow furrow as she had no doubt that Spike had been the one to leave it there if for nothing else but to tease her. Her eyes slowly edged to the chair back where Spike's trench coat lay, the light brown material had been flung haphazardly down and was nearly falling off. With a sinister smile, Faye's right hand gripped the coat by the collar and twirled the heavy fabric into the air, the slender fingers of her left hand plunging into the silken depths of the right front pocket in search of a prize in the form of currency or the nicotine fix she so desperately needed.

As she rifled through the pocket, a breeze from the air conditioner kicked the curtains to life, causing them to flutter and the sunlight that was kept from the room to shine through. For a few brief seconds, the sunlight swept across the table and caused an object to glint and catch emerald eyes. Faye's focus shifted towards the empty table, surveying the rough grooved surface of the table top for the offending object and eyebrows lifting even further in intrigue as they fell upon a small boxy thing.

Faye stood there frozen for several seconds before curiosity got the better of her. Deftly removing Spike's woolongs card and pocketing it, Faye flung his coat back onto the chair in a smooth, almost practice motion before she leaned into the table to get a better look at the object that had offended her pupils. When she still wasn't sure what she was looking at, she slowly reached out to pinch the small thing between the nail of her thumb and index finger and brought it closer to her face in order to examine it. As she twisted it about in the dim light, Faye's eyes widened in surprise as she realized what it was.

It was a small computer chip with pigmented undertones of red that were splotched across the dulled silver surface hinting at a darker side. As Faye studied it, a sting of uneasiness crept into the base of her spine as she remembered Jet's words as he chased after Spike. _"I'm not done talking to you! She needs to know about it!"_

Faye had very little doubt that "she" was herself. What did she need to know? There was no denying the urgency that had been in Jet's voice as he ran out after Spike. The two had been fighting and she probably hadn't heard it because she had been sobbing till her eyes were dry. But was this chip the "it" Jet had mentioned?

Without a second thought, Faye turned on her heel and rushed over to the bedside where her white heels, that now had blemishes of red, lay discarded and hastily slipped them on. She was part of this crew – this family, and if they were going to discuss something that seemed important than she wanted to be a part of that conversation. She had been through shit the passed few days and she wasn't about to be left in the dark just because Jet and Spike were afraid of being bitched at. Clutching the chip in the palm of her hand, Faye flung open the motel room door and took off after the boys.

The sunlight burned her eyes as they adjusted to the new light. It obviously had been a while since she had seen the sun. Though it had looked like it was a warm day from inside the room, Faye was shivering slightly as her still damp hair clung to the back of her neck and sent small drips of water down her spine. The steady clicks of Faye's heels were the only sound as she walked steadily in the direction she had seen Jet leave. She stared down at the chip that was nestled in the creases on the palm of her hand, her unease growing the more she examined it.

Was this really the thing that Jet had deemed important enough to run after Spike about? Jet had always been the person to look out for her welfare, a fatherly figure if nothing else. He hadn't objected when she settled into the Bebop, instead made room for her by clearing out a storage room and throwing in a mattress. It had meant a lot to her that day he showed her the small room, it hadn't been much, but it was place she could call her own.

She knew that Jet only wanted what was best for his new found family – even if they weren't exactly always there for him – and watched out for them. So now, Faye knew that if Jet thought she needed to know something then it was for her best interest. But was it this chip? Or was it something else? Faye felt heavy hearted at the thought of Spike leaving again. Could that be it? Was Spike leaving her again? Faye didn't know what to make of Spike recently, his harsh words the last time they had spoken shattered her heart, and yet he had come for her. Spike was the most confusing man she had ever met.

Faye closed her hand around the chip and turned her emerald eyes skyward, praying that Spike would be around for a long time yet. "Damn it! Won't you ever listen to me?" It was Jet's aggrieved tone that broke through her thoughts. "Do you really think that will solve anything?" Faye slowed her pace down and stopped altogether as she listened to Spike's soft chuckles. Her heart hitched up into her neck and swelled making it hard to swallow.

Spike's chuckles faded. "You worry too much Jet. What she doesn't know won't hurt her."

"She'll find out, Spike! You know that as well as I do. You really want to be there to see that – see her get that upset?" Jet had never been one to argue with Spike that often, but when they did Faye never liked to be around, for no matter how heated and hard headed they said she was when she was angry, Jet was five times worse.

"I won't see it Jet, because I won't be around long enough." Spike's voice was dry. Faye found it almost laughable that he could act so differently from moment to moment.

"You're going to leave?" By Jet's tone he felt the same way she did. The cold and aloof Spike had come back once again and Faye found herself faltering – tumbling – under his demeanor. She could no longer take the emotional colossus that he had become.

"Only if you tell her about that chip." Faye froze at Spike's nasty tone. "She doesn't need to know about it. If you told her that she-"

Spike's cold tone was suddenly cut off by Jet. "Shit, Spike! You really think I'm that stupid? After reading about what that chip does to people?" There was a slight pause in the conversation and Faye felt herself tense up as she looked down at the chip her hand. What the hell did this chip do? Jet took a large sigh and Faye took a few steps closer to hear the a little more clearly. "Look Spike, all I'm trying to say is that she saw what happened to that man when the chip took control. I just think it would be better if she knew about it." Faye froze at this new piece of information. Saw the man when the chip took control? Where they talking about Reeves?

She heard Spike snort. "Oh yeah? Well what do you want me to say? Hey Faye, you know that innocent man you shot in the woods? Well, turns out that he being controlled by a damn computer chip that the Lions had implanted into his back recently! That's why he became so mechanical and tried to kill me, it really had nothing to do with his lover who, apparently for some of the Lions sources, had been killed a long time ago.

Or better yet – how about this one – hey Faye, do you know that you might-"

"Enough Spike!" Jet's voice cut off Spike's cynical tone, but Faye felt a jolt travel down her body. Or that she might what? Faye turned her eyes toward the chip in her hand. Her mind began to jump to horrendous conclusions. That she might have one in her as well? That she might go crazy like Reeves had? Faye felt the world spin. She had to get away. As quickly as possible Faye turned and ran, a stream of emotions and thoughts flooding her mind.

It had been enough information to find out that Reeves had become so . . . inhuman in the final moments probably because of this chip in his back, but to find out that she might have one as well? Faye clenched her eyes shut as the memory of Reeves bloody body tumbled earthwards. She really didn't need to shoot him. It had been the chip that had pushed him over the edge – the chip that made her end his life.

Faye shook her head as fresh tears started to form. She had murdered him in cold blood. She had shot him without a second thought. And now, she might suffer the same fate as he did. She might be controlled by the Lions by some damn device implanted into her. Faye shook her head, pace increasing as she ran blindly away from the motel.

* * *

Faye wasn't sure how long she had been gone, or how far she had run, but it was after her limbs were heavy and her mind a little less panicked that she calmed enough to head back to the motel. Once she had gathered her thoughts she realized that it would be better to stay with the people who knew what was going to happen to her and confront them. Besides, if she left she wouldn't be a burden to others, and that just wasn't her style.

By the time Faye got back to the motel, the overbearing need for a cigarette to calm her nerves had overridden all other thoughts and detoured her towards the motel's convenient store. Using Spike's money card she purchased a pack of cigarettes and a lighter before she made her way back to the room. If she was going to lose it, she was going to lose it without the damp cravings. As she lit up the thought that she didn't know the room number crossed her mind, but the moment she removed her hand to protect the flame from the wind and looked up that thought was dashed.

Spike's lanky form leaned against the chipped yellow brick, arms crossed across his chest and head down. Faye stopped a few feet away from him knowing that any emotions she had would be easily read across her face. Spike didn't looked up, but Faye could read the displeasure in his stance. "Something you want to say, Spike?" Faye was surprised to hear that her voice was flat and didn't harvest any of the emotions that tweaked at her nerves.

"Is there a reason you left?" Spike deadpanned. Faye felt a lump forming in her throat as Spike slowly lifted his face. "I would think you would be smart enough to stay put for once, especially since the Lions are after you."

Faye felt her eyebrow twitch. Once again she was dealing with the emotional colossus that was Spike; emotions so drastically changing that Faye didn't know what was heads and what was tails. "Actually, they're after you, Spike." Faye moved to walk passed him into the room, but Spike's hand caught her upper arm, his narrowed eyes gleaming dangerously at her.

Spike eyed her face for several seconds before he spoke. "What crawled up your ass, Faye?"

Faye surveyed Spike's face silently for several seconds before deciding that now was as good of a time as any to bring up the chip, especially since he had given her such an opportune opening. Faye pulled the chip out of the pocket of her sweats and slammed it flat fisted into Spike's chest before she yanked her arm out of his grip. "I don't know, you tell me." Faye swept by him before Spike had the chance to answer.

Faye had only taken a few steps in when she heard the door close behind Spike and his voice stopped her in his tracks. "You really want to know?" Faye threw her cigarette into the ashtray on the table before she lazily twirled around to face him, a retort ready on her lips but faltered and failed under his obvious appraisal. As she stared at him it felt like he had summed her emotions up in a single glance, seen than her anger wasn't really there. Spike had always had always tried to get under her skin to get a taste of her true emotions, but Faye had always managed to hold him back with nothing but airy anger. Their arguments had always thrived on their anger that they produced from on another, and at that moment Faye didn't have the confidence that the anger Spike found was very impressive.

"Yes." Her voice was weaker than she would have liked and her whole body trembled as she tried to maintain her composure, tried to get a grip on the anger that Spike always managed to fuel in her. But this was one of those moments in which Spike had easily made her come undone with just a look, but this time it was worse. This time, she knew that she wasn't sure if she really wanted to know about the chip.

Spike sighed and eyed the chip that was in his hand with the shake of his head. "You don't look ready." Faye felt her sides tighten at the sincerity that laced his words, but her mind rebelled against that answer and she found her body gripping the needed fuel to spark her anger.

"Damn it Spike! Just tell me! I fucking shot a man I thought was a friend – a man who saved my life just before I jumped!" Faye was becoming hysterical. It appeared that even with her anger, Spike wasn't about to step up and play their usual game. The temperance of his face was just to placid, too void of any emotions. Yet, it appeared as if her was struggling to find the right justification for her.

Spike's hard face darkened as he answered her. "Faye, that man – this chip was implanted -"

Faye viciously cut Spike off, throwing her hands up in disgust. "I know! I overheard you and Jet talking! The Lions controlled him Spike, I know that. Just tell me what is going to happen to me! I don't want to be like he was!" Faye's eyes had slid closed as she screamed and the air was suddenly knocked out of her and Spike roughly pulled her into his chest, his muscular arms pinning her in place as he had when he caught her.

"Faye." The soft tone of his voice, effectively snubbed out the remnants of Faye's rant and brought a great warmth through her body. Faye found that she didn't fight his hold, instead lowering her head to his shoulder trying to stave off a bout of dizziness that was threatening to take hold of her. They stood there for several minutes as Faye struggled to get her head back on her shoulders and calm down.

Faye didn't have anymore tears to cry, but her voice still quivered as her she tried to make her vocal cord crack with any sound. "Just tell me what's going on, Spike. Please, I don't want to become like Reeves." Her voice was soft and almost painful as she finally lifted her head to look up at her partner.

Spike gave Faye an odd look. "What do you mean, become like Reeves?"

Faye blinked stupidly through her emotions, and found that she had a hard time speaking as anger started to swell in her once again. She couldn't believe Spike could be so stupid. "You told Jet I have a goddamn chip in me, Spike!"

Spike recoiled from her as if he had been shocked, his eyes darkening as he caught on to what was running through Faye's mind, anger becoming evident. "I never said anything like that."

"Yes you did! I told you I heard you arguing with Jet about telling me!" Faye snapped back, forgetting for the moment that she had been almost hysterical only minutes before.

"Fuck, Faye. I was telling Jet that we shouldn't tell you about that man you shot. I checked to make sure that didn't do anything to you while you were still asleep. I never knew you were one to jump to such stupid conclusions so easily." Spike was suddenly cold and snide again, and Faye found her hands curling into fists as she tried to count to ten.

"Then where did you get that fucking chip from? If that didn't come out of me, then where did you get it?" Faye knew that she was being a little irrational, but Spike had always had the talent for pissing her off.

"I went back to the Lions HQ to dig up some information! God Faye, do you always have to be so bitchy?" As Spike's words slipped off his lips it was at that moment that she caught the twitch at the corner of his mouth. Faye choked back a strangled gasp as she realized that Spike had never been angry, that he was just trying to get a rise out of her. Faye was about to bring her hand back and let it fly but froze, for the first time in a few days things were normal. And any attempt at normalcy was a welcome relief.

But one thing was for certain, Faye wasn't sure what made her madder, the fact that she had been pulled into an argument once again but Spike, or that fact that she had been so worried over nothing. "You bastard, you could have been caught!" Faye knew that it would be a while before she got over Reeves, but at least now she could start to try to get over it.

Before Spike could reply the door to the motel room slammed opened and caused both occupants to jump as a tired looking Jet came tramping through, eyes cast down to the floor in dismay. "Goddamn that woman! I've looked everywhere for her! It's just like her to leave without a word!" As the words passed him mouth he looked up to see Spike and a steaming Faye snarling at each other. "Oh." Faye rolled her eyes at Jet's statement as turned around with an exasperated growl as she flung Spike's woolongs card and her cigarettes onto the table.

"Always like me, huh Jet?" Faye's tone still held a bit of anger in it, but she couldn't keep the hints of amusement out of her tone either. Faye heard a noise that sounded like a strangled gasp of annoyance and turned her eyes towards Spike who had just noticed his woolongs card on the table.

Jet too caught sight of the card and a solemn smile crept across his face before he shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, you can't blame me. I thought you ran out like the day you went to find Ed. Look, you even took our woolongs again!"

Jet angry grimace faded into a look of concern as Faye failed to respond. Both Jet and Spike looked at each other in surprise for a second before they turned their gazes to Faye who had a look of frozen horror on her face, eyes growing wider with each second. "Fuck. Edward."

Faye's soft words caused Spike's eyebrows to rise and Jet to choke on his own saliva before doubling over into a coughing fit. Spike ran a hand through his green mop of hair and shook his head in disbelief. "Don't tell me you actually found Ed."

* * *

The Hammerhead and Swordfish landed near the orphanage on Ganymede. Faye climbed out of the swordfish hastily, the wind cutting through her newly freed violet hair as she stumbled to maintain her balance. Spike jumped out after her, his voice grumbling about Faye hogging all the space, when all she had done was sat on his lap. "Well, well. Look who we have here."

Faye turned her head to see Jinni strolling up to them, lazily pushing back strands of hair that got caught in the wind and lashed across her face. Faye smiled widely despite the pain of her lower lip and stepped forward to greet the old woman. "Jinni. Thank you so much for taking care of Edward."

Jinni smiled and shook her head. "It was my pleasure child." Jinni eyed Faye critically and tsked. "You don't look so well, my dear. Is everything all right?" Faye felt her face fall slightly at the statement but tried her best to cover it up by making her grin wider.

"Yes, everything's fine, Ji." Faye grimaced slightly as Jinni huffed and shook her head in disproval.

"I don't like being lied to dear." Despite the scolding the warmth in Jinni's voice never faded. "But that's all right, we'll talk and get you all fixed up before you go." Jinni turned her eyes towards Spike who was standing awkwardly behind the pair, absentmindedly scanning the area around them. He had already voiced his complaints about coming so close to the Lions HQ, but was overruled as Jet said he would come with her to pick up Edward after she had relayed her story. Jinni bumped Faye slightly with her elbow, a small smile on her face. "And who is this young man?"

Faye turned her gaze back to Spike. "Him? That's Spike, my partner who was in trouble with the Lions. Don't mind his cold demeanor; he's like that with everyone." Spike sent Faye a withering look and Faye just rolled her eyes in return. "My other partner should be coming around shortly." Faye looked over to see Jet coming around from the Hammerhead and turned to Jinni to introduce the two but stopped in puzzlement at the odd look that crossed the older lady's face.

Before she could as what was wrong, a quick intake of breath made Faye whip around to see that Jet had come to a halt just behind the trio, his eyes slowly widening in recognition. Before Spike or Faye could even comprehend what happened next, Jet answered everything with one simple word. "Mom?"

_AN: I finally finished this chapter. It took a while. Sorry about that, but at least it's out now, right? So what do you think? A good twist at the end? And I found a way to make Reeves less mechanical! Hee hee. I like this chapter much better than the last one. I think it's because I took more time with this one. Hm. Well, that's all for this time folks. Comments, Questions, just want to chat (I love talking with people so e-mail me!) give me a buzz! Till next chapter, take it easy!_

Firevixen73: Spike and Faye are definitely going to have a more in-depth chat at Grandma Ji's place. The Beboppers aren't going to be rushing away from that place too quickly, mainly because I like Ji as a character and don't want to leave her so soon. So look forward to that for next chapter! Hope you liked this one! Till next time, take it easy!

CarolinaWhiteRose: I'm glad you liked my interlude. I really did enjoy writing that. I hope that this continues to make you want to read. Next chapter Spike and Faye will really sit down and have a heart to heart. I swear it! Till Next Chapter.

Milky Wings: Thank you! I love it when people like my work. Sorry it took so long to get out, but here it is. And yes, that certainly is simple enough – simple is always good. (Winks) Till next time!

KittyVicious: I always have my doubts about chapters. I really didn't like that one as much as I wanted too. I wasn't at all pleased with it. But hey I made up it up to myself with this chapter. The discussion of where the Beboppers are going to live will probably come up in the next chapter, but I can't be one hundred percent certain as of right now. But don't worry, I won't leave them homeless. (winks) I'm glad you like my work. You make me blush when you say stuff like that! I hope this chapter is to you liking! Till next time, Take it easy!

Zottie: I know what you mean about bad days, try a bad couple of weeks. Midterms are yuckie things. But I hope that it was only one bad day for you. The world is full of dumbass people, but hey think of it this way, they make the world interesting. (winks). Here's to this chapter being better than the last and here's to you who has always reviewed my work and made my day good when a dumbass has brought me down! Cheers! Till next time, take it easy!

Krya1: Well I just glad that people didn't see how much I hated that chapter. I just wasn't happy with it at all. I think if I'm not happy with the way a chapter is going it tends to get worse. But I did enjoy writing this one, but maybe that's because I enjoyed writing the ending the most. So hopefully this turned out all right. Surprised with Grandma Ji? I hope people were, I loved it when everybody was guessing who she was and I kinda hope it was a big surprise for most people. I mean, the show never really said much about Jet's family, you know? The talk between Spike and Faye is going to go much more in-depth next chapter I think it will be interesting with Jinni around. So be on the look out for that! Till next time, take it easy!

Kim: I found a way to make his mechanical behavior a little less shocking, it was actually thanks to you too. Reading your review gave me the idea (Smiles) plus it helped me figure out a way to end this whole story. Spike and Faye will be having their conversation in the next chapter. So be on the look out for that. But I'm glad you've enjoy this story so much so far. Till next chapter!

Wh00t: Another yay! Like last time I love the yay! (winks) hope you like this chapter. Till next time!

Breezy1028: It wasn't as sweet as I would have liked it, but I guess this chapter made up for the last one. At least I enjoyed writing this chapter. But that's probably just because of the ending. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Till next chapter, take it easy!

XHatori-SohmaX: I'm glad you liked it! Even when I think I'm losing my touch, my reviewers always manage to make me feel like I haven't! I hope this chapter cleared things up with Reeves a little bit, gave him a little closure, but we'll see. I know I didn't update as quickly as I usually do, sorry 'bout that! Till next time, take it easy!

Oyuki: I will be answering the question to where they are going to live either in the next chapter or the one after, I haven't decided yet. I just wanted to clear some things out with Reeves and get Grandma Ji back into the picture. I hope that this chapter will satisfy people until I can get the next one out! Till then, take it easy!

Laure: Thank you! I'm so glad so many people like my story – and I love it even more when people review! So thank you for reviewing! Makes my world go round. I hope you're just as thrilled with this chapter! Till next time, take it easy!

Jadedghostgurl: I'm glad that you like that chapter. I'm just wondering if I went too far overboard in this chapter – I mean with Reeves and all. We'll see, but I really think he did need some kind of closure. (winks) please please continue to be random! I love randomness! Lol. Till next time, take it easy!

TheEvilAshleyness: I'm all smiles because of this review! Sorry it took me so long to update – midterms are a bitch! Maybe I should just drop out and write fanfiction for the rest of my life. LOL. Till next chapter!

Kam: I love new reviewers! I just want to pounce on them! Lol. Blown away? Wow. You are so making me blush right now! I try to keep things interesting, because I find if it's not interesting for the reader to read, then it's not really all that interesting to write. But really I am glad that so many people are enjoying my work and I always LOVE hearing what people have to say! So thanks for the review! Means a lot! Till next time, take it easy!

LunarShado16: (smiles) I'm glad you like it! Painting a picture? Really? Well I'm glad you enjoy my work! When people enjoy my work I enjoy writing it! And I hope that I updated quickly enough, I've had a hard time finding the time to actually sit down and write, but I finally accomplished it! (winks) till next time, take it easy!

Shola: (smiles) Better and better as it goes on? Well I try to strive for that. But I don't think I always succeed. Take last chapter for an example. But I am happy with this one. But I am glad you like it! Till next chapter!

Lt. Lady Nyru: What more could anyone ask for? Guns and romance. Never thought of Spike as Prince Charming, but hey, you never know, right? Lol. Hope this chapter will prepare people for the next! Till then, take it easy!


	12. Chapter 10

_An: As always notes at bottom. Please excuse typos this was written and published all in one sitting. This chapter is dedicated to Kuro-Ippikiookami21_.

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop

The Last Fragments of You

Alternative Therapy

Chapter 10

Both Faye and Spike stood completely abashed as Jinni rushed passed the two and threw her plump arms around Jet's torso, her face glowing as she hugged the man who loomed well over a foot over her. "Jesus Jenny Jet! Three years! It's been three years since I've last seen you and it took one of your partners to drag you here!" Her voice was muffled in the fabric of Jet's shirt as she pulled him even closer to her. Jet's wide eyes slowly sagged closed as his left hand sheepishly rose to scratch the back of his head, as his face flushed with embarrassment.

"Come on, Mom. Don't you think you could . . . lighten up a little?" Though Jet's voice was steady, it was a few octaves higher than in usual timber tone. Jinni must have noticed this too, for she pulled back slightly so she could get a good look at the boy she had raised. One of her eyebrows arched as she eyed her son, and her posture stiffened as she realized how uncomfortable he was. "What? Can't a mother hug her son anymore?"

Jet patted her shoulder lightly as he became even more uncomfortable under his own mother's scrutiny. Faye felt a small smile pulling at her lips and turned to see Spike coming to a stop beside her, his head shaking slightly. "Great Faye, you've managed to do the unimaginable again."

All the humor dropped from Faye's features as Spike's hard voice cut through her. She slowly turned to face the slightly older man, her eyebrow knit as she fought to stave off the anger that was just waiting to gush from her pores. "Are you jealous, Spike?"

Spike jolted a little at the comment, and though his face remained placid, Faye could see that she had hit a nerve. Spike's mahogany eyes slowly roved over to where Faye was standing with one hand on her hip. "No, not really. Why would I want something like that?" Jinni had grabbed Jet's earlobe and had hauled him down to even out their size, and was proceeding to scream in his ear about his lack of visits.

Faye smiled at the scene and slowly shrugged trying to act as nonchalant to the man beside her. But as her eyes fell on Spike's softened face she found that any retort she had fell from her lips. It obviously had been a long couple of days for everybody and she didn't really feel like getting into a fight. Instead she sighed and brought a hand up to rub one of her temples. "What's so unimaginable about bringing a family together?"

Spike didn't answer her right away, all his focus still on the parent and child who were slowly ebbing away from their anger. Faye studied Spike's profile, taking in the tight clench of his jaw and his stiff posture. There was something off about him; his usual nonchalant attitude hadn't been in place since they had left the motel, and all his emotions where much too visible. Faye fought back the urge to reach out and touch his shoulder to get his attention, fought back the urge to ask what was bothering him. His posture easily belied his uneasiness and she had never seen him so tense. Faye suddenly felt a raw anger climbing back into her gut, and swallowed, she never liked to be ignored. "Spike?"

Spike blinked and with the swift flip of his eyelids his demeanor completely changed, his regular self-assured attitude strapped back into place. He turned to her with an almost feral smile thickening his lips as he gestured to the Blacks. There was something almost sinister in his body language and Faye knew that she wasn't going to like whatever came out of his mouth, but whatever he was going to say never got the chance to leave his lips.

"Bebop-Bebop!" A shrill shriek rented the air and Faye turned in time to see a red headed girl lunge at Spike's unprepared form, long arms wrapping about his left arm as the pair careened earthwards. "Spike-person! Spike-person is here! Spike-person came to see Edward!"

Faye back peddled several steps as a coughing fit over took her. Loose dust particles floated upwards and rented the air as Spike's body with Edward's extra weight slide across the dusty ground. It was only after the dust had cleared that Faye dared to crack an eye to see the fate of the man who was a colossus of uncertainty and the insane red haired child.

Edward had latched onto Spike's upper arm and was affectionately rubbing her cheek across his shoulder, purring in an almost kitten-like manner. Spike was staring blankly up at sky, a dazed hue glossing over his eyes as he tried to come to terms with what had just happened and how he had been caught by surprise. It was only thanks to Faye's unhindered laughter that Spike was able to pull reality back to him and slowly turned his head to look at the woman who resigned herself to a unwelcome fate.

Unfortunately for Faye, the sharp sound of her laughter drew Edwards's attention, her whole face jerking upwards at the sound, and her eyes growing big as she noticed the slightly bruised Faye. Faye's laughter died as soon as Edward's gaze fell upon her, a sharp impulsive dread building up from the base of her spine. Taking a few steps backwards, and bringing her hands up to wave the girl off, Faye took a rather large swallow. "Hey, Ed." Faye's voice was soft and hesitant as she wearily watched the other girl climb over Spike on all fours, bringing her nose up to sniff the air. In the next second, Edward was on her feet and running full force towards Faye, a shriek of glee buzzing from her lips as she rammed into Faye at full throttle.

Edward's skinny arms roped themselves around Faye's left arm but instead of sending the woman plunging to the ground, began to run around her form, dragging Faye with her. Edward circled around Faye countless times, a chant of "Faye-Faye you came back!" repeatedly being sung from her lips. Faye couldn't find her voice as the world spun about her, and found that no matter how hard she dug her heels into the ground she couldn't stop the momentum that Edward had begun. As a nauseous feeling crept into her gut, Faye knew that this was definitely not the same sorrowful girl she had left all those days ago.

"Well look who's here!" Jet's booming voice was accompanied by Edwards sudden shriek and release of her bruising grip on Faye's write. Faye felt the world tilt as her left arm became free and opened her eyes as she started to fall to see that her reeling gait was locked on a path that ended with the wide mahogany eyes of a partially dusty Spike who paused in his brushing of his clothes to see Faye barreling down on him.

Faye could only brace herself for the impact and clamp her mouth shut to keep from shrieking as she rammed into him, his arms coming up to wrap about her waist and drew her closer to lessen the blow for both of them as his back took the brunt of the impact as they rolled across the sandy ground kicking up dust and rocks.

Faye groaned when they finally came to a stop several feet from where they had started, and a light delicate laughter caused her to raise her eyes, traveling up the ragged dress that Jinni wore and ended at her pleasantly smiling face. There was several seconds of silence of Faye and Jinni just staring at each other before Jinni laughed again. "Well, aren't you two quite the sight?" A warm blush started at the base of Faye's neck and slowly traveled upwards to flush her face. As Faye reddened under Jinni's scrutiny she now realized why Jet had been so embarrassed under his mother's knowing eyes. She felt like she had been caught doing some despicable act by her own mother, or worse, her grandmother.

A clearing of a throat nabbed Faye's attention down to where Spike laid, his arms loosely wrapped about her waist as she sat straddling his prone form. For a few seconds of silence, Faye allowed herself to enjoy the pressure of his fingers across the skin of her waist, their warmth stirring up her old feelings for him. However the feeling was short lived. "Damn, Faye. You're heavier than you look." Spike's winded voice made Faye become even redder and she quickly scrambled off of him, as she tried to get a grip over her emotions.

With Faye's weight gone, Spike slowly sat up and brought a hand up to rub the back of neck. A soft groan escaping his mouth as he cracked the stiffened muscles to slowly work out the kinks that had come from the fall. Jinni slowly moved over to where Faye was squatting and offered a small hand to help her up. Faye obligingly took Jinni's help and as soon as she was righted started to dust herself off, doing anything possible to keep from looking into the older woman's eyes.

Faye had always wondered where Jet had gotten his maternal instincts, and now, after seeing Jinni and knowing what she did, she couldn't blame Jet for being more than a little domestic. "Well my dear, you kept your promise." The sweet tone in Jinni's voice made Faye feel slightly guilty for having left Edward in the first place.

Spike was now standing and walked over to where Faye stood, an eyebrow cocked in disbelief. "Faye managed to keep a promise? Wow, that's a first." Faye whipped about to face Spike and was going to open her mouth to let him have her wrath, but the softened tones in his eyes stopped her cold. The look of uncertainty that had plagued him for more than an hour now still had yet to leave and only reinforced the idea that he was not himself.

Faye found that she couldn't rise to his bait when Spike was putting up a mask of normalcy, for some reason it just didn't sit right with her. "Fuck off, Spike." The words weren't as biting as they would have been if Faye had been consumed by anger. Spike apparently noticed this as well, for a slightly baffled look crossed his face for the briefest of moments, but it was Jinni's soft laughter that stopped anymore banter from renting the air.

Jinni slowly turned her eyes to Spike and shook her head as her laughter died. "I see now, my dear child." Though Jinni's eyes were locked on Spike, her words were directed to Faye. "It wasn't just for someone special that made you leave Edward with me; it was for the bounty hunter's life."

Spike's baffled expression matched Faye's own, and it took Faye a while to realize that she was commenting back on what Faye had told her all those days ago. Death was just a risk of being a bounty hunter, but here at this moment, Jinni seemed to realize that that life was more than a job to Faye, that it was her world. Faye had wanted to keep what little bit of her life that was preserved in Edward alive, and at the same time, wanted to see if the two men, one who she cared for more deeply than she would ever admit to him, were alive. She left Edward and took the weapons she did that day in hopes of preserving the life that they had together. She was willing to risk her own life for her family, the people of the Bebop.

Faye allowed a gentle smile to thicken her lips as her gaze wandered over to where Jet and Edward were still talking. "You're right Grandma Ji, it was for the life." Spike looked even more baffled by her comment and was about to ask what they meant when the low drones of a ship began to faintly thrum in the distance. All three Beboppers froze as they slowly turned their eyes skyward, a feeling a dread building between them.

"It's a Lion's scout," Jinni's soft voice caused all three Beboppers to stare at her. "But it's flight pattern takes it some miles south of here. Another scout will be by before too long after this one gets out of hearing range. They've been in flight all day, in search of you, I'm sure."

There was a long pause of silence as they all looked up and listened as the drone of engines grew louder. Faye felt her breath hitch in her throat, an uncertainty of what knowledge Jinni could really possess making her nervous about the sound that was causing her heart to squeeze.

"How do you know that?" Spike's hard voice caused Faye to jump, the tone riddled with her same thoughts. Jinni coolly turned her eyes towards Spike, and for the first time seeing a tinted dislike fringing Jinni's eyes.

"Don't question me, boy. I know more than you know." There was an undoubted hostility in her voice that Faye didn't think the woman possessed, and Jet seemed to be just as uncomfortable as Faye was. "They've been surveying the area ever since Faye's little roof incident. But, I would think that you would know all about the workings of a syndicate, considering that you were part of the Red Dragons."

Faye stiffened at the comment and watched as Spike's face became locked up with shock. There was another heavy silence before Jet closed the distance between the three and cleared his throat. "Mom." Their was a warning tone in it that made Faye's eyes trail to were Jet stood with his arms crossed in front of him.

As Faye looked at Jet's imposing form, the metal arm reflecting the sun back at her, she realized why Jinni had become so cold. Spike had been part of the Red Dragons, and though he hadn't done it himself, it was the Red Dragons that caused Jet to loose his arm. Faye felt her eyebrows rise as she came to understand the hostility and looked back to Spike who apparently came to the same understanding as well.

"I didn't pull the trigger, Granny." Though his voice was slightly gruff with anger, Spike didn't let it show in his demeanor. "But if it makes you feel any better, then let me say this: I'm sorry that your boy was hurt by my syndicate." Faye coughed as shock and surprise took over her. Spike Spiegel apologizing? That was certainly something that didn't happen very often.

But apparently it was enough to appease Jinni for the time being, for though she nodded her acceptance Faye could still see the anger that lingered there briefly before she was back to her old self. "Jet?" Jinni's voice was once again warm as she turned to her son with a wide smile. "Why don't you take Ed and go make up some of the beds upstairs?"

Edward who had been holding onto Jet's right leg was suddenly standing as a large smile spread across her face. Instantly she had linked her right arm with Jet and saluted Jinni with her left. "Right-o, Grandma Jay!" Edward was soon pulling against Jet with all her might towards the house as Jet used his weight against the girl, and turned a concerned look to his mother.

"We can't barge in like this, mom. We've just come to pick up Ed and get her out of your hair." As the words left Jet's mouth Edward froze and turned a panicked look towards Jinni who had her arms akimbo.

"Jet, don't argue with me. I haven't seen you in ages, the least you could do is spend a couple of days." When Jet was about to protest, Jinni sent him a look that shut him up before she turned her calm eyes over to the dusty Spike and Faye with a tight lipped smile. "It will probably be best if your two ships are out of sight for the time being. There's a small patch of trees half mile to the east, not the best cover, but it will keep your aircrafts out of view. While those two are making the beds, why don't you take them over there?"

Faye didn't know what to say, she was so shocked but everything that was happening that she just nodded and turned her wide eyes to Spike who just shrugged. "Come on, Romani. Let's do what Grandma Black says." There was still a harsh lilt to his voice but something else told Faye that there was something more behind the tone. As Faye mutely nodded she had a feeling that the walk back with Spike was going to be about as pleasant as all their conversations had been recently.

_An: Okay, I know I said the heart to heart would be in this chapter, but with my being in the library at the moment and only taking a short break from writing one of my finals I had to cut the chapter in half. Please forgive me. It has been such a lone two months. Oh why oh why did I ever decide to take 21 credit hours? Plus stupid computer malfunctions. My computer quit – just died. So, right now I'm working in the library trying to post something. Excuse mistakes, writing this in one sitting does nothing for my grammar. Anyways, at least I got something done. (sigh) All right, enough break time to get back to my work. Sorry again at least I managed to set the stage. Hopefully I will have a new computer soon. But we'll see. Till next time, take it easy!_

CarolinaWhiteRose: I hope you can stay put a little longer. I am sorry that this took so long. As soon as I get a new computer I will work my fingers to the bone to get that heart to heart out. Till next time!

Kyra1: I love the fact that it came as a surprise, I felt that I had given too much away. I wasn't sure about the bathroom scene either, I've never been one to write great crying scenes or sad scenes or whatever you want to call it, so hearing that it wasn't horrible was a bit of a reassurance. Anyway, it's back to finals work. Will this month never end? Or at least, these finals? (Sigh) Till next time, take it easy!

Kuro-Ippikiookami21: Wow. I mean wow. That has to be the biggest compliment I have ever seen! You truly do make me blush and make me feel as if I am succeeding at my writing. Thank you. Just as a side note, I looked at your review today and told myself that I would have to write something and have it updated just for you, so consider this chapter dedicated to you! Sorry it isn't as great and interesting as the other ones, but I am at least pleased with it. At the moment I consider you as my muse for the day . . . rereading your review inspired me to write. So thank you! Hopefully this inspiration will carry over to tomorrow as well for my finals. Maybe I'll just reread it again tomorrow morning! (Winks) Till next time, take it easy!

Oyuki: (Smile) Does she have a chip? Who knows . . . okay well I do, but I'm not going to spill the beans just yet. Sorry it took so long. Hopefully I'll have a fully functioning computer in the next few days. Sorry it's so short. Till next chapter!

Phoenix521: Another happy reader makes me happy! This chapter isn't as long as I would like it but what can you do. Compelling eh? That makes me smile. We'll see what I do about the Bebop. I'm not quite sure how to remedy that situation yet, but oh well. Till next time!

Dannie-chan: A psychopathic writer huh? I like that. I really like that! I'm glad I had people on their toes! (Smile) I am always so thrilled to get your reviews, they make me smile, but like me, I am sure you have a busy life, and not reviewing isn't going to kill me. (Now watch as I keel over from the sadness of missing your humorous reviews – winks) Till next time, take it easy!

Zottie: School hasn't quit bugging me, but at least I'm trying to update. Not as long as my usual updates, but at least it is something. All I have to do is survive this week and then I am free to write all I want! Well . . . as soon as I get a computer. (Sigh) Anyway, till next chapter!

Firevixen73: Makes me smile that I didn't give away too much. I don't know why, but it just doesn't feel right to have Jinni as Spike's mom, although I did play with that idea for a while. (sigh) anyway, hope you liked this chapter or at least the part that I put out. Till next time, take it easy!

Kim: The Reeves saga isn't quite complete yet. There will definitely be more mention of him in upcoming chapters. I'm glad that I had people guessing who Jinni's son was, made me smile. The "don't tell faye" will be explained in the next chapter, this time I truly promise. The heart to heart should clear up all those questions. But basically it was because she killed in cold blood. (winks) Till next time!

Coldqueen: Saw what coming? That Jet was Jinni's son? Or something else? Don't leave me hanging! What was I too obvious on? Till next time!

Angelfrommynightmare33: I'm glad you liked it. Hopefully this chapter was as crazy and interesting as the others. Though I somehow doubt it. Till next time, take it easy!

Lt. Lady Nyru: Thank you! I thought that Jet was more fitted for Jinni than Spike. Hey, I don't mind how long it takes, because it takes me twice as long to update. I do know what you mean my college warping leisure time. 21 credit hours are bogging me down. I am just grateful that this is finals week. Then I'll be FREE! (winks) I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Till next time, take it easy!Top of Form


	13. Chapter 11

_AN: As always author's notes at the bottom. Please excuse typos!_

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

The Last Fragments of You

Alternative Therapy

Chapter Eleven

Faye landed unsteadily next to the Hammerhead, her weary muscles giving slightly beneath the force of her weight crashing down onto her aching legs. She sighed as she leaned back against the heated metal of Jet's ship, feeling the strain of being pushed to her limits the last days. The shrill whine of an engine flying over the trees caused Faye to lift her eyes skywards into the sun dappled leaves to see the red exterior of Spike's swordfish maneuvering about to set down in the clearing and move several yards forward to hid in the grove which surrounded her. Stick debris and a raging wind kicked up as the swordfish drew near and Faye cursed as she brought her hands up to fend against the assault.

She waited until the engine died completely before she dared to lower her hands from her eyes. She blinked several times to clear that haze that had gathered behind her lids before she looked down to survey her dust covered clothes. With a sigh, she halfheartedly began to brush her hand across the cloth of her pants, puffs of dust rising with each sweep and proofed to be very ineffective. The sound of a hatch popping drew Faye's eyes and one look at Spike's scowling disposition told her that his mood had not improved any since leaving the Black's.

Spike landed roughly next to the swordfish, a tight lipped snarl visible on his normally schooled features. "Goddamn old hag." His angered voice was low but still audible to Faye's ears, and his movements ridged. Faye's eyebrow slowly quirked upwards in an arch as she took studied his clenched jawed face and stiff posture. For whatever reason, Spike and Jinni each had a strong but equal dislike of each other. That much had become apparent not long after they had come into contact.

And based on the few snippets of conversation that had passed between Spike and Jinni, Faye knew that the next couple of days that they spent at the Black's were going to be rough. Yet, the banter that she had heard pass between the two was not enough to cause Spike to have show such an angry display. No, Faye had pushed Spike beyond his limits enough times to know that a few choice words weren't going to break his self control. So as she surveyed Spike's fuming form now, Faye could only reason that she had missed something.

Faye took several slow steps closer to the lanky man, one hand resting against the curve of her hip as she tried to access and make the best of the situation. She definitely was not in the mood to be stuck with a moody Spike. "What's the matter, lunkhead?" Faye had half the mind to ask if he wasn't man enough to take a tongue-lashing from a "Granny", but thought better of it. She was trying to make it back to the house in no worse for wear than she was now. It was exhausting enough dealing with the lunkhead when he wasn't even angry at her.

Spike's anger hardened eyes turned in Faye's direction and she saw the visible strain that across his heated features as he tried to get a rein on the tumultuous emotions that were playing havoc with him. "Granny rang." His voice was chipped and edgy, his normal wry sarcasm dripping heavily from his tongue. "Told us to hang out for a while." As he spoke the anger that was hidden just beneath the surface became more clearly evident. "The Lion's flight pattern has changed."

As the words left his mouth he quickly turned on his heel and stalked away from her towards the tree line. If there had been any doubt about Spike's dislike of Jinni, it had all faded now. Faye eyed Spike's tense form as he moved away from her, and though she knew he wasn't thrilled to be taking orders from Jinni, Faye was certain that more had passed between the two than just that little bit of information.

Spike settled against a tree near the edge of the tree line, head tilting back slightly as she was sure he was searching the sky for any sign of the supposedly incoming scouts. Though Spike didn't like being ordered around, he still put enough stock into what Jinni had told him to be weary for planes that might be circling, and while Faye found it hard to believe that an orphanage owners could know every movement that the Lions made, Jinni certainly knew enough information to know about her great jumping escapade and that made Faye slightly uneasy.

With a shake of her head, Faye pulled her pack of cigarettes from her pocket and slowly meandered over to Spike. She pressed her right shoulder into the tree as she came to a stop next to him, her eyes running over the fuming mans frame as she drew one of the slender sticks between her fingers. Spike didn't even bother to acknowledge her, his narrow eyes locked on some distance structure.

Faye stood there for several long seconds, bringing her cigarette up to perch on her lower lip, trying to think of a way to break through the barrier that Spike had erected. There were many questions that she still wanted – needed – answered and Faye figured as long as they were stuck here for the time being now was a good of time as any. But Spike had never been one to give information freely, especially when the questioning pertained to his past. Faye knew that the whole ordeal with the Lions probably lied in the domain of the time he was with the Red Dragons, which also meant the time he was with Julia.

That train of thought didn't sit well with Faye, but she knew in order to fully understand the cool man next to her, she would have to accept the odd ends of his past as well, and that meant Julia. But, over the last few weeks since his return, Faye was learning that the emotional colossus that was Spike had many facets.

Shifting her weight so her back was resting against the tree bark, Faye slowly brought her cigarettes up to Spike's level of vision in a silent offering. An offering, she hoped, that would thrust nicotine through his system and eventually calm him down. Faye wasn't exactly looking forward to spending an undefined amount of time with a grouchy man, especially when she was set on driving answers out of him.

Though she didn't dare tear her gaze away from the place it was locked on the horizon, she could feel Spike's eyes burning into her as he regarded her offering with a little uncertainty. Faye couldn't really blame him though, because it definitely wasn't everyday that she shared her cigarettes. Deciding that she wasn't trying to trick him in anyway, Spike pulled one of the slender sticks from the pack and mumbled a soft 'thanks'. As Faye was stuffing the cigarettes back into their original spot and fumbling for her lighter, she jumped in surprise as Spike offered his own light.

Faye had to blink several times at the flame that was hovering only a few inches from her nose before she realized that it was for her to light her own cigarette on. Blushing slightly at her stupidity, Faye leaned forward and inhaled until her cigarette flared red, the paper wrapping burning into nonexistence. Faye took several seconds to enjoy the burning smoke that filled her throat and lungs; enjoyed the rush of nicotine that invaded her system and she partly realized that Spike wasn't the only one that needed to calm down.

"Thanks." Faye's voice was soft compared to the wind that had started to kick in from the west, gently causing her hair to jump as it laced through her violet strands. Spike nodded silently, his features slowly twisting into their normal relaxed state with each drag he took off the cigarette, the smoke dancing enticingly about his frame as it loosened and sagged back into its nonchalant mode.

Cigarettes, it seemed, always managed to calm the cool man down no matter how angry or emotionally bent he became. A feat, Faye discovered long ago, that could only be outdone by the lilt that alcohol had over his system. But, no matter how much the man drank, Faye could never remember a time where he every appeared smashed. Faye snarled at the thought of his easy drunken stupor and wished that she could hold her liquor as well as he could.

With the roll of her eyes, those thoughts were gone from her head and she was focused back on the matter at hand. She peeked at Spike from the corners of her eyes and softly sighed. Spike looked to be finally settling down a little, but that didn't mean he would getting defensive when suddenly questioned. There were two things for certain that Faye would like him to clear up for her. The first and probably more important one was Reeves. There was no denying that she felt like she had killed that man in cold blood. It was a dull ache that resided in her ribcage and was playing with her emotions. But Faye believe just bluntly asking Spike about that incident, or anything to do with the Lions would get her nowhere, for as she had told herself earlier, Spike was not the type of man to openly discuss his past. Hell, Faye didn't even openly discuss her past . . . well at least to any living organism that could talk to humans at least.

The second had to do with his relationship to Jinni Black. The hostility between them wasn't something that could be easily ignored, and Jinni did know a little too much about her escapade. Faye could only hope that Spike could fill in some of the details considering that Jinni, hopefully, wasn't directly linked to his past. Faye wasn't sure which track to take with the questioning and found herself almost scared to ask him anything.

Faye sighed softly as her legs started to quiver under the stress of standing for so long, abused beyond their normal wear the passed couple of days. "This is ridiculous." Her legs slowly gave beneath her and she pressed her back solidly against the bark of the tree, gravity pulling her earthward. As her bottom hit the ground, she threw her cigarette butt away and shifted slightly to stop the bark from pressing harshly against her tender skin. Ten minutes of waiting for any sign of approaching aircrafts had seemed nonexistent was wearing down her remaining patience and nerves. "Why the hell are we listening to that old hag anyway?"

The frustration in her voice was evident and Spike's soft chuckle caused her heckles to rise, anger starting to brim over the edge from her frustration. That was until Spike slowly sagged earthward as well, plunking down onto the hard soil next to her, his shoulder pressing softly against hers.

There were several moments of silence before Spike spoke. "What do you know about Jinni Black, Faye?" Faye was slightly shocked that Spike would bring up one of the subjects that had been plaguing her, but decided not to take this opportunity for granted. When Faye turned to face him she froze up with surprise. Where his voice had been soft and gentle, his eyes were much different. They were distant and almost blank, a total void that reminded Faye of the time that he explained the slight color differential; a void that made Faye understand once again that Spike was a man who would be forever stuck on his past.

Under his scrutiny, Faye found it hard to remain strong, and she barely managed a nonchalant shrug as the muscles in her face twisted almost painfully to keep the features of her face as blank as his eyes. "Ji? She's an orphanage owner with a bounty on her head . . ." there was a slight waver in her voice but Faye spoke truthfully, seeing no point in hiding what she had bee told from Spike. But the more she thought about Jinni's knowledge of the Lions movements and the hardware that Jinni had kept locked up in her shed, Faye found it harder to believe that was all the old woman was. "But something's not right." She acknowledged solemnly talking more to herself than the man beside her. "She'd have to be a small fry to stay hidden for so long . . . and all those weapons."

Faye was suddenly restless, there was obviously something she was missing, and it appeared that Spike knew what that was. Spike scoffed slightly at her state, a small shake of his head proving his amusement. "A bounty head? That's what she told you?" He tossed his cigarette butt into the trees and took a deep breath. His features were once again hardening. "You really do do unimaginable things Faye, without even trying."

Faye felt her snarl forming on her lips before she could stop it, her calm exterior breaking at the frustration that had built the last couple of days of being kept in the dark about practically everything. "Damn it, Spike! You said that earlier! Now just explain what the fuck is going on between you and Jinni!"

Spike didn't appear the least bit angry or surprised by her outburst, instead a lopsided smile curved into place. "You really believe that Granny is a bounty head? You really think an old woman like that, Jet's _mother_, would be a criminal?"

The comical lilt to his voice made Faye grind her teeth and she had to resist the urge to slug him hard across the cheek. She was coming very close to throttling him as he once again dragged not only her, but the entire Bebop crew into his problems. "_Apparently_ there's a lot about Ji I don't know, Spike! Hell, she somehow had tabs on the Lions and enough weapons in her shed to hold the entire Ganymede population hostage!" Faye snarled feeling stupid for not really thinking about why Jinni had all those weapons the first time she met the woman.

How could an old lady like Ji have all those weapons and stay under the radar? Of course, Faye had to reason, at the time when she first met Jinni Black, she had beenunder considerable amounts of emotional stress. Faye sighed and ran a hand through her hair, the remembrance of that day causing her anger to deflate rather suddenly. "Look Spike. I feel like I've been through hell the last couple of days . . . can you please just fill me in without creating an argument?"

Faye allowed her gaze to drop as she felt fresh tears beginning to form in her eyes. She had no intentions of crying in front of Spike, no intention of showing how vulnerable she really was. A heavy silence followed her words and Faye couldn't be certain to what Spike was thinking or feeling for she didn't dare look up, not until she at least had some control.

Spike's feet shifted noisily across the ground and then seconds later, his warm hand took hold of hers with a soft squeeze. "You're right." His voice was gentle once again and as he leaned closer to her, the heat of his breath tickled her ear. "I'm sorry, Faye." His lips hovered by her earlobe and for the briefest of moments Faye thought he was going to kiss her, but he suddenly swung his gaze to the horizon, eyes narrowing against the glare of the sun. "Shit. That damn hag was right."

Faye's eyes were suddenly raised and searching the sky for what Spike saw but to no avail. "What?" Faye cringed at how breathless and needy she sounded. Spike didn't answer, instead he hauled them both to their feet. Faye blinked in confusion as Spike took a firm hold of her hand and lead her back into the cover of the trees, back to where the ships sat. "Spike, wha-"

The words faultered on her lips as she heard it, the undeniable drone of several aircrafts. Spike turned to her with a grim smile. "The Lion scouts that Granny foretold." Spike had yet to let go of her hand and it was only after he followed her gaze to where their fingers were laced that he hesitantly dropped it.

Faye fought to hide the smile that threatened to thicken her lips. "You still haven't explained anything about Ji or my unimaginable feat, lunkhead." Faye reminded, not about to let Spike go that easily. Spike didn't show any signs of anger at her words and walked over to the Hammerhead and boosted himself up onto its wing. Faye stood confused as she watched Spike settle back before his eyes met hers and his normal cocky smile graced his lips as he offered her his hand.

Faye stared at the fingers offered to her for several seconds before lifting an eyebrow. Spike rolled his eyes at her reluctance. "Come on, Romani. We might be here for a while . . . besides, it's a long story."

Faye sighed. "How long?"

Spike's smirk never faded. "Long enough. Now come on, you're the one who wants to hear about Granny so badly." Faye huffed before she took Spike's hand and allowed him to haul her up onto the wing as well. Spike waited until she had settled comfortably against the bulk of metal before he started. "So you thought Jinni was a bounty head?" Faye nodded silently and Spike huffed a tiny laugh. "Well that's far from the truth."

Spike paused briefly as if he was plotting his words out in his head and Faye believed he needed a little encouragement. "Then tell me the truth Spike. Stop flogging a dead horse and get on with the story!"

"Okay! Okay! This is probably the first time the Black's have seen each other in quite some time. Hell, knowing Jet, probably a good number of years. The most unimaginable thing you've done is bringing them together. Jet's always been hard pressed to stay as far away from here as possible." Spike's tone was neutral but Faye could tell that he was distancing himself slightly, there was something about the whole situation that connected Spike to the Black's and Faye had a feeling that that part of the story was going to incidentally get left out.

Spike raised his voice slightly so he could be heard over the sound of the passing aircrafts. "Jet has always been afraid that he'll bring his mother trouble again. He still feels like the last time was his fault, when in all actuality, people had just gotten some good intel."

"Again?"

Spike nodded. "Yeah, several years back, when he was still with ISSP. He came to visit her and the kids, and the day after he left Granny Black used a shotgun to blow off a syndicate members head."

Faye felt her eyebrow rise. "Whoa, wait. She told me that she shot Ganymede authorities who were trying to shut down the orphanage. What the hell does the syndicate have to do with this?"

Spike gave Faye an all-knowing smirk. "I told you this would be a long story, lots a little details, so shut up and let me tell it, Romani." Faye huffed but didn't say anything else and Spike smirked widened. "Granny Black is the real reason why the Red Dragons were after Jet in the first place. He was one of the few people who knew where Granny was. And believe me, there were and probably still are a lot of syndicates looking for her."

Faye brought a hand up to her forehead, feeling the beginnings of a headache. "Why? Why would any syndicate be after an old lady like Ji? It doesn't make sense? What does she have or do that is so valuable?"

Spike looked slightly uncomfortable and the expressions that crossed his face peeked her interest. "It's not really her that is valuable. It's what she took."

"Took?"

Spike closed his eyes. "Yeah, what she took." Spike's voice was slightly strained. "The Dragons figured if they could get Jet to cooperate then they could easily find where the Savior was hiding. The only thing we didn't realize at the time was that The Savior was Jet's mother."

Faye swallowed hard as she vaguely remembered that Jinni had called herself something along the line of the Savior, but she couldn't exactly remember what. "What's the Savior, Spike?"

"The Savior of Lost Souls. Lost Souls is a term that the Dragons used for the children that they abducted from their families to become future syndicate members, most of the time their families would be killed so the children had nowhere else to turn. The Savior, was a woman who managed to infiltrate the syndicate time and time again and each time she took many of the children away with her."

Spike shook his head a sad and grim smile crossing his features. "It took me about two seconds to realize after Jet introduced us to figure out that Jinni was The Savior. I would have thought she would have used a less obvious front than an orphanage. . ." there was a far away look in Spike's eyes and Faye couldn't tell if it was due to sadness or just the memories of the past. "She must have a lot of insiders helping her, can't see any other way she could steal all those children by herself. That's why it's not that big of a surprise that she knows about the Lions movements."

Faye felt her throat constrict with all the information. "How do you know all this, Spike? Did Jet tell you or where you . . ." Faye couldn't bring herself to say it. She didn't want to think that Spike had been involved with the kidnapping of helpless children.

Thankfully she didn't have to, for Spike finished it for her. "Was I involved in taking kids?" Spike looked slightly amused but Faye could tell that it was just another mask. "No, taking children isn't one of my hobbies, Faye. And if I had to rely on what Jet told me, I would only know as much as you probably did. But being in the syndicate . . . information like that was common knowledge."

Spike shot Faye a sideways glance before he continued. "No, Jet doesn't tell me much. But really I'm surprised he doesn't hate me for knowing what I am. He was given a choice by the Dragons, either give up the location of his mother, The Savior or die. Like I said earlier, Granny was the real reason why the syndicate was after him, the real reason why he lost his arm. And that's why Granny hates the Dragons . . . and its members."

Faye nodded finally understanding the situation between Spike and Jinni a little better. Jinni was definitely a piece of work, and probably knew more about the lives of the Bebop crew than she was letting on. But Faye couldn't help but admire the woman who went to such lengths to save children from a fate they had been forced into.

The sounds of the aircrafts were fading overhead, and Faye knew that it wouldn't be long before they started to head back to the house where she would once again be forced into silence. There were so many questions that Faye wanted to ask, but one in particular due to Spike's behavior.

Gathering up her courage, Faye lightly touched Spike's shoulder, feeling the slight tension the muscles harvested. "Hey, Spike?" Her voice wavered slightly with her uncertainty. "Were you . . . a lost soul?" Faye watched as Spike visibly tensed and almost immediately regretted asking the question, but there was so much about him that she didn't understand and wanted to figure out.

There was a lengthy pause where Faye prepared herself for Spike's unbridled anger but instead, got a nerve wrecking calm. "Sounds like the scouts are gone. We should head back. You need to rest." Spike didn't even look in Faye direction as he spoke and quickly hopped off the wing of the Hammerhead. Faye trudged down the guilty feelings that were springing up and prepared to hop down herself when Spike large hand was once again offered to her. Despite the tension that hung in the air, Faye forced a small smile, silently accepted his hand and jumped off the Hammerhead into his warm embrace.

Faye clutched Spike's shirt until she was certain that she was steady on her feet. As she stared up into his eyes she saw flashes of the conversation they had before they had arrived here, before Jinni became a real part of the equation.

As she stood there holding onto the former syndicate member, Faye realized that he had conceded much too easily to giving her all the details on the Black's and had gracefully maneuvered her around any questions that would pertain to his past and his relationship with the Lions.

With a little bit of anger Faye backed away from Spike and started to walk in the direction of Jinni's house. As they walked in silence Faye had a little glimmer of hope that Spike would suddenly open up to her and answer all the questions that had been driving her nuts over the past couple of days and years. But of course, no such miracle happened; instead she was forced to listen to the grating sound of their feet shuffling across the sand.

Faye finally couldn't take anymore of the silence. "What do the Lions want, Spike? Why are they after you?" Faye's voice was heavy as brought up the sore subject, and she was not entirely sure she really wanted an explanation for the event of the last couple of days, but she knew that she would never sleep peacefully if she didn't at least try to get some answers.

A glance in Spike's direction didn't offer her anymore answers that she had hoped, for his expression had remained completely placid. Knowing that he wasn't about to give in so easily to her questioning this time around, Faye pressed in on him again with a different route. "Both Jet and I will need to be filled in eventually, Spike. The Bebop was destroyed because of them and I . . . I killed a man in cold blood." For a moment Faye wasn't sure if she could continue, but now that she had started she knew there wasn't any way to back out now. Feeling the walls of her throat constricting with emotions, Faye forced the words passed her lips. "I believe you owe us an explanation."

She could see that Spike was struggling to form some words. "It's not that easy. It's more complicated than a simple story."

Faye quickly interrupted. "Try." The command didn't hold any anger like she thought it would, but something much more desperate sounding. "We . . . _I_ want to help, Spike. At least, I believe I owe it to Reeves." Faye closed her eyes as she replayed the fatal shot over again in her head. "And you owe it to me."

Spike was searching her face for quite some time before he answered, but was looking very reluctant to do so. "You didn't kill him in cold blood, Faye. You put him out of his misery. With that chip in him all his actions would be controlled, he wasn't even a real person anymore. He was the Lion's puppet."

Faye couldn't raise her eyes from the ground; she was not willing to meet Spike's eyes. "So why not tell me about the chip right away? Why hide it?"

Spike sighed obviously quickly tiring of this line of questioning. "I didn't think you needed to know at that exact moment, you had been through enough. I would have told you eventually." The end sounded like he was trying to sway her over to his side. Faye couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Fuck that, Spike! I don't need to be babied!"

Spike growled and took several deep breaths. "Fine, I won't _baby_ you anymore, Faye. I'll show you the papers on the chip later; you can read for yourself . . . if you can understand any of the big words."

Faye huffed in exasperation. "Cut the shit. You've been trying to smother me to keep me from finding out about the true about what the Lions want and I won't stand by quietly anymore while you push me around!"

Spike grabbed Faye's wrist and pulled her to a stop. "I've kept you in the dark for your own protection!"

Spike wrenched her hand free before starting to stalk towards the house again. They had drawn close enough to see the furniture inside the house, all Faye wanted to do was get away from Spike and cool off. "That's bullshit. When you're ready to tell me the truth come find me."

Spike lunged and took hold of Faye's hand again, this time his grip tightening as she struggled against his hold. "I recently killed the Lions leader. That's why the Lions are after me."

Faye felt her eyebrows rise in shock. "Recently? But you've been with us ever since you came back."

Spike nodded in agreement. "I didn't exactly rush back to the Bebop, now did I?" Spike's gruff tone was still laced with anger, but Faye could see that it was taking a monumental effort to keep his temper in check. "I had to clear up some external problems up for the Dragons."  
Faye was beyond tired at this point. Her wits were coming to an end and she was extremely tired and sore. All in all Faye wasn't very happy. "And that includes killing the Lions leader?" Faye pulled her hand away from Spike's but didn't move anywhere, instead placed it on her hip. "So what Francois and Pierre really want is to avenge the leader you killed? That's great, Spike, but I don't see why you couldn't have told Jet and me about this."  
Spike was becoming more and more frustrated. "Francois and Pierre crave power. They want to take control of the dying Lions syndicate. From what I found out from the Dragons, the only way the can gain that power is by killing a high ranking member of another syndicate, which means they choose me."

Faye didn't understand. "But you left! Hell, the syndicate was _after_ you because you left!"

Spike smirked. "They would try to kill me anyway."

Faye felt like Spike was leading her around; she threw her hands up in the air and turned away from him. "And why is that?"

"Pierre's a half breed and an old Red Dragon member. I'm sure the remaining Lion's elders wouldn't look too kindly on Francois if they knew the truth of his relations." Spike was trying his best to swallow his anger.

Faye wanted to punch something. Spike had kept her in the dark because of this? Her abduction could have been so easily avoided if he had just been truthful with her? "So why didn't you just tell me this, Spike? Do you know how much easier this would have been if you had just come clean with us, instead of handcuffing me to you without any sort of explanation?"

Spike roughly grabbed Faye's shoulders so there were looking eye to eye. "What else was I supposed to do Faye? If I had told you the truth you would have gone storming after Edward anyway!"

Faye viciously shoved Spike back trying to put some distance between them so she didn't suddenly get the urge to punch him. "I can take care of myself, Spike!"

Spike took several agitated steps closer, a snarl forming on his lips. "Fuck Faye! Stop being an ungrateful bitch! Can't you see that I was trying to protect you?"

Faye let out a peal of fake laughter. "Protect me? Protect me! Damn it, Spike! How the hell do you think keeping me in the dark _and_ handcuffing us together supposed to protect me?"

Spike pulled Faye to him his eyes narrowed dangerously. "You don't always think rationally, Faye. If I had told you the truth you would have just gone after Edward anyway!"  
"Maybe so, Spike. But it was and is my decision to make! Where do you get off trying to run my life? Besides, this whole Lions deal is your problem! It's your fault that Jet and I are involved now! You dragged us into it! So don't go telling me that I'm irrational! You should take a good look at yourself!" Faye had the mind to walk away and almost did but Spike stopped her.

Spike was once again in her face. "You know what, you're right. What the hell was I thinking? I can't believe I actually thought I saw something in you. You'll never compare . . ." Spike's voice suddenly stopped as he realized where the conversation was headed.  
Faye's complexion had gone completely white and her face was void of any emotion. "Compare to who? Your precious Julia? That's right. I can't compare to a dead broad who screwed you over. I can't compare to a woman who didn't love you enough to give her life for you!" Faye watched as Spike's face darkened and smiled viciously. "You know what I think? I don't think she loved you all that much . . . I don't think any woman in her right mind could ever love you."

Faye watched as Spike's breathing suddenly became erratic and he suddenly had an iron hold on her wrist again. He leaned down so his face was right in hers and a low timber of a growl was echoing in his chest. "Shut the fuck up, Faye! You have no idea . . . you don't know anything about my past and my relationships!"

Faye sharply pulled her wrist free, her eyes shooting daggers at Spike. "That's right, I _don't_ know anything. You want to know why? Because you won't let anyone in! You're a fucking emotional wreck, Spike! Crying on rooftops, being cold and aloof to anyone who might care for you! Damn it. Can't you just see -" Faye trailed off suddenly realizing how close she had come to telling him that she loved him. She had fired several bullets into the ceiling of the Bebop trying to confess to him. She didn't have the strength then and she hated that she didn't have the strength now.

Spike obviously didn't notice his anger was still running full steam. "Can't see what Faye? I think I can see clearly enough. I see that you don't know what it's like to what a person you love die in front of you, only to find out in hindsight that they really didn't love you as much as you thought." Spike sounded a little deflated as he admitted out loud what he had known for some time. Shaking off those thoughts, Spike turned to face Faye his voice low and demeaning. "And it's not that I don't let anyone in, Faye, you're just too caught up in your own vanity to see anything else."

Spike shook his head and started to walk away, and only as an afterthought turned back to address Faye a final time. "You want to know what I see, Faye? I see an unappreciative shrew who doesn't see what's right in front of her. If you thought Julia was a whore, you should stop and take a good long look at yourself."

Spike suddenly turned on his heel and stormed off, rage gripping every fiber of his being. As Faye stood there listening to his rant, she saw flashes of Whitney and her life right after the cryogenic sleep. There had been many instances over the passed few years where Spike's words had caused Faye some hurt, but nothing that he had ever said had cut her as deeply as what he just did. As Faye stood there frozen to her spot she realized that there was no falseness to his words; everything he had spoken had been the truth and Faye realized that she was as fragmented as she believed Spike to be.

_AN: I'm back! This chapter was a total dialogue overload, not something that I like to do, but there were some things that could be cleared up by Spike and Faye conversing and I did promise a heart to heart. (Sigh) Sorry if the characters seem a little OOC. I can't seem to find their style right now. As always excuse the typos, I looked over this several times, but I am positive that I have missed several mistakes. What I need is an editor. Anyway. Happy new year everyone! Till next time, take it easy!_

Kuro-Ippikiookami21: It was only because you left _me_ smiling like a complete fool. (winks) Really? Your hero of writing? Stop making me blush! But thank you, reviews like this really make me feel . . . I can't even explain it. So thank you. And hey, for more reviews like yours I would keep writing even if it _did_ make me tired. I hope your holidays and your new year was great! Till next time, take it easy!

Kim: Try as I might I can't stay gone for long! (winks) Sorry about the long delay last time. Too much going on with school and work just couldn't find any time to fit writing in. But I hope I made up for that last chapter with this one. It's a bit longer and it does a little bit of explaining. Though I really do think it is an overload of dialogue. Oh well. Anyway, thanks for reviewing! Till next chapter, take it easy!

The Demon Sisters: Was their walk back what you expected? I hope I surprised people with this new information on Ji. We'll see what people think. Thanks for reviewing! Till next chapter, take it easy!

Zottie: Stupid exams indeed. But at least their over with for the time being. I hope this chapter was all right. I like the first part of it, but I'm a little uncertain about the second half. It's probably all the dialogue. Dialogue overload is definitely a bad thing in my book. Oh well. Till next time, take it easy!

Oyuki: Spike's still a bit of a mystery right now, but that should clear up in chapters to come. I hope your finals went all right. And hey, maybe Spike does miss his mommy . . . you'll have to wait to find out! (winks) Till next chapter, take it easy!

Theevilashleyness: How was the heart to heart? Not what you expected. I just couldn't bring myself to bring them together just yet. Don't worry, if that's what you're waiting for it should happen soon. (winks) Till next time!

Lt. Lady Nyru: The last chapter was definitely too short, but it's all I had time for. Hopefully this one makes up for that. I certainly did soak in the Christmas break, I hope you did yours! I hope this chapter was at least a little satisfying! Anyway till next time, take it easy!

Kendra Luehr: Thank you! I was wondering what happened, but hey I know what you mean for losing the taste of certain categories. To think I used to be a huge Sailor Moon fanfiction reader . . . I can hardly look at that stuff now. (sigh) Ah those good old days. (Smile) Anyways, thanks for continuing to read! Till next time I hear from you, take it easy!

Angelfrommynightmare33: Computers can be a drag, that's for sure. But hey I'm all set now! I hope you liked this chapter! Thanks for reviewing! Till next time!


	14. Chapter 12

_An: I believe you know the drill – excuse typos. Notes and translations at bottom._

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop

The Last Fragments of You

Alternative Therapy

Chapter Twelve

Faye gently ran a hand through her tangled hair before bringing it to rest on her forehead. With a soft sigh, Faye leaned back into the thick headboard of the small twin bed Jinni had provided her and drew her knees up towards her slender torso. It had been a long time since she had slept in a bed like this, let alone slept in a bed like this without any thoughts of her past. No, tonight all her thoughts were focused in on one man who seemed to have seeped into her very blood. Faye propped her arms across her knees as she listened to Edwards soft snores in the bed near hers, easily sleeping despite Faye's unsettled shifting through most of the night.

Faye allowed her eyes to slip close as the memory of the day and the man who had caused her insomnia pressed in on her. There was no denying that she once again felt guilty about her hasty actions against Spike, but it always seemed as if he knew how to press the right buttons to send her flying off her hinges. For the second time in the past few weeks, Faye had found some semblance of relief by slapping the angry smirk off Spike's face. Her eyes lifted to where Edward was murmuring a bout of nonsensical words in her dream world and couldn't stop the rueful smile that thickened her lips; it wasn't like the bastard hadn't deserved it.

He had left her standing in front of Jinni's house shattered with the realization that no matter how hard she worked to prove herself to the people that meant the most in her life, the image that she had built since her awakening overpowered anything that have brought her esteem, overpowered all that she had struggled through the passed couple of months. Spike's words had been proof enough of that and it had affirmed her worst fears.

While Spike hadn't directly called her worthless it was heavily implied in his tone, in his posture, and in his eyes. The mismatched colors that always seemed to draw her ever since he relayed the truth about those mahogany orbs had plainly told her that she had only succeeded in fooling herself into thinking that she had changed.

As she stood there rehashing Spike's last dismissive remark, another realization struck her. Spike, in the few short years that she had known him, had never been that accommodating to answer her questions. It seemed like he was almost too willing to explain certain aspects of the past few days, but in hindsight it was apparent that there were some things that he didn't want to discuss, and when she came too close to asking things he didn't want to deal with he was quick to anger her. Which could only mean one thing: the insufferable man was hiding something.

Even now as she sat in bed hours later, she could feel the remnants of the familiar, almost reflexive heated emotion that always gripped her when Spike started pushing her. Under the hot sun it seemed even more powerful. It was a bitter, raw, and intense anger that forced her sorrow weighed limbs into motion. She was on a mission; she was out to get answers.

Her strides lengthened with each step as anger infused into her turbulent mind. She was practically running as she rounded the corner of the house where she had last seen the fuzzy mop of green hair and roughly slammed the back door open suddenly coming to a halt at the sight of the man she was intent of finding. Spike was standing hunched over the kitchen table, palms pressed against the edges of the old wood, knuckles blanching under the pressure of his grip. His lungs were laboring to draw in air as they brutally strained against his ribcage with each heaving breath, and without even seeing his face, Faye could tell that he was struggling to keep his ever nonchalant mask in place. His entire frame tensed as he heard the door open, his back stiffening with the soft pad of her shoes across the tile that lined the kitchen floor, and while he obviously knew that someone had entered, he didn't bother to turn around.

As Faye took in his bedraggled appearance, for the briefest of moments, she found that any words that were on the verge of spilling over her lips had clamped down around her vocal cords as pity surged up into her stomach and rose in her throat like bile. There was something about the way he looked at that moment that forced her surmounting anger to stall, and slowly started to level out. She had seen in his weakest moments these past couple of months, seen the effect that Julia's death had on him, but this time it was different.

As she observed him she couldn't help but notice that the angry man that had taken a hold of Spike all these months was fading. His anger with himself, his anger with her, his anger at the world was slowly starting to fade. Something had sparked his will to live, and Faye could felt compelled to help bring back the Spike she used to know.

"What the _hell_ do you want?" Spike's voice was soft and dangerous, as if her presence was some how a threat to him. Faye slowly took a few steps closer to him, but as an unrepressed shiver shot through her system she forced herself to stop. With all they time they had spent together, all the months of working together and living together, it appeared that Spike still couldn't bring himself to fully trust her.

Faye felt her anger rekindle at this thought, the man she loved believing – even after all she had been through for him and because of him – that she would betray him in the end. Her fists clenched at her side as she tried to keep her voice level and remember why she was forcing another confrontation with him. Her voice was a low hiss and despite her internal warnings she couldn't keep her anger from its tone. "What aren't you telling me?"

An oppressive silence hung in the kitchen, neither of them moving or trying to cut through the thick tension that had been set with her words. Spike's tense back relaxed slightly, but his fingers remained white as the clutched the table like it was his safety. The silence was excruciating, her patience with him to come clear with her wearing thin. And then she couldn't take it anymore, everything she felt erupted inside of her. "Goddamn it, Spike! What aren't you telling me?"

Spike was quick to respond, his fist slamming violently onto the kitchen table causing the salt and pepper that were on it to jump with the force. "What aren't I telling you? What aren't I telling tell you?" Spike's voice was hoarse and furious and he slammed his fist into the table again, his knuckles cracking and bleeding under the pressure of the blow. "What _haven't_ I told you?" He turned to face her now, his dark eyes boiling with anger in the dim light of the room. "Hell, I bet you were thrilled to hear me admit that Julia didn't love me. Heaven knows that if the infamous Faye Valentine isn't happy, then no one around her should be." Suddenly he paused in his rant, his eyes narrowing as if he just realized something. With a small shake of his head he started to turn around his voice straining to tone down a notch. "Fuck this, as far as I'm concerned, Faye, this conversation is over."

Faye watched slightly dumbfounded as Spike turned on his heel and started to head for the stairs. Faye shook her head refusing to accept his blatant dismissal of her, and lunged forward, her small hands snagging the wrinkled cloth of his blue jacket. "Oh no you don't!" Faye tugged back on his coat lightly, her hands quickly moving to get a better hold of him, latching about his wrist and effectively stopping him. "This is _far_ from over! Do you think just because your precious and perfect Julia royally fucked you over, that everyone who gets close to you will do the same thing?" Spike tried to pull his wrist free but Faye countered by digging her nails into his skin, her eyes narrowing with anger as he tried to escape her, tried to walk away from her the same way he so many months ago. "Maybe Julia didn't care for you as much as you had hoped, Spike, maybe she didn't love you, but that's no reason to shut everyone else out! There are people out there who still care for you, Spike, people who care and have been trying to help you!"

Spike once again tried to get his wrist free, his anger adding more strength to his pull, but Faye refused to let go. She had failed him once when he first walked away from her to fight Vicious and she refused to make the same mistake again. Spike thought that he had to fight to find out he was alive, but if he could see that he didn't need to fight to be alive then maybe, maybe, he could start to be what he used to be. At this point, Spike had had enough; he turned to face the shrew woman and gently placed his free hand over both of hers. "This is your warning, Faye. Let me go."

Faye snarled but didn't release her hold, eyes daring him to even think about touching her. It killed her that he couldn't relax around her, that he couldn't open up, and that he couldn't come to trust her. Shaking her head Faye closed her eyes briefly and tried to unsuccessfully keep the anger she was feeling out of her tone. "Damn it, Spike! I'm sick of being waylaid and pushed aside!" At that moment, as Faye lifted her gaze up to the man that towered furiously next to her, she found that even if she had realized what she was about to say, she couldn't have stopped the words. "Can't you see that I love you?"

Faye's hand shot up to cover her mouth in her shock, the words stinging her palate and causing her anger to dissipate, the fear of having said too much making her stomach queasy. Her other hand quickly dropped Spike's wrist and she took several steps back like he had struck her. There were several moments of uncertainty where both were frozen, and while they both knew that Faye had unannounced feelings for the lunkhead, she had never come out and said it.

Spike's angry face slowly filtered into a soft, warm smile, and a quiet laughter began to roll off of him. It was a humorless, desperate; almost need sound that caused the pit of Faye's stomach to flame with some unknown emotion. "Is that all you want to hear, Faye?" His voice was completely emotionless, a monotone drone that didn't bring promise of anything good. Any amusement she expected to hear, any lingering anger, everything that would have expected to hear at her declaration was missing from his tone; his voice was a completely deadpanned. "All right, Faye. I'm fucking head over heels in love with you. There isn't a day since I've come back in which I don't want you. Is that what you want to hear, Faye?"

Faye felt her eyes start to water, her fists slowly coming down to clench at her sides as he openly mocked her. Spike's breathing was no longer ragged, his back no longer tense, and he looked almost relax as he turned to face her; everything that Faye had ever wanted to see in him. "Since Julia died, my eyes no longer saw the fuzzy reality of the past, oh no, my eyes began to see a clear image of the present." His dark, mismatched instantly connecting with her, and Faye almost gasped at the light that had flooded into them. They were so earnest, so what Faye could only describe as endearing, that she couldn't truly tell if he was as angry as he sounded, as upset as he appeared.

Yet the moment his eyes lowered from hers, his entire face darkened with something she couldn't place, something that she was sure she could never reach. And when he spoke again, she couldn't help but notice the pained and remorseful look that etched into the lines of his jaw and eyes as he tried to thicken his lips with his usual angry smirk that appeared whenever they fought. "I found out that I'm alive, Faye. It's only now I realized that I have nothing to show for it but you and your fucked up vision of love."

Faye reacted instantly, her flat palm crossing Spike's cheek in a swift, hard motion that sent his head snapping back to the side. The silence that followed was only punctuated by Faye's sharp intakes of breath as she tried to control her swerving and tilting emotions, struggling to figure out which on to go by; shame, anger and sadness all raging just beneath the surface of her skin each fighting to be dominate. Spike remained motionless, not bothering to bring a hand up to soothe the flaring pink skin of his cheek, but allowing Faye's anger to remain intact and untouched as if flared painfully on his face.

As Faye looked at the pink tint, a well of regret and shame swelled overpowered all the other emotions. No matter how many times they fought, Spike had always managed too find a way to twist one of her nerves painfully, but she had always managed to keep from acting out on that pain. But this time, he had hit one of the biggest nerves, the one that was directly connected to her heart. As she stood there, shaking in an emotion that she had not yet placed, she found that she couldn't help but think back to one of her earlier statement. "That's right, Spike. You have my fucked up vision of love and that must mean I'm fucked up too, because no woman in her right mind could ever love an asshole like you." Faye barely managed to choke out the words before she turned on her heel and stalked from the room missing Spike's soft sigh of regret.

Faye huffed at the memory, her palm had stung for a while after that blow, and now, as she sat in bed hours later, she realized that the unnamed emotion was regret. She had allowed Spike to tweak one of her nerves for the umpteenth time and allowed her emotions to get the best of her. Faye jumped slightly as Edward once again began to murmur another bout of words and only added to the unease that Faye had been dwelling upon.

With a sigh of exasperation, Faye pushed the sheets off and reached down to the length of the bed to grab her discarded her sweat pants. As restless as she was, Faye knew that sleep wouldn't come without some form of an outlet, and since Faye didn't want to wake the rest of the house, screaming was out of the question. Her next best option was to hope that a spot of nicotine in the form of her cigarette could calm her down.

Closing the bedroom door behind her, Faye softly tread down the hall knowing that in only a few hours, the few children who lived in the surrounding rooms would be sleepily filing into the kitchen to eat breakfast. Edward had taken it as her responsibility to introduce Faye to the ten children that had found a safe haven with Jinni. As Faye met each one, she was surprised to learn that the age range was any from four to fifteen and despite having nothing left of their old lives, none of them were bitter.

Faye shook her head as she remembered how bitter she had been when she realized that she had nothing to go back too once she got her memories back. As Faye met each of these happy yet homeless children, she couldn't figure out what the difference had been between her and them. How had they been able to master their sadness and hate for the world so quickly, while she had been left to dwell on her disconnection with the rest of the world? The only answer that Faye could find was that while Faye had awoken up alone, the children had found themselves in the nurturing and loving care of Jinni Black. It amazed Faye how one person could make such a difference in people's lives, but as Faye thought about it even more, she realized that she had only started to become happy with her current life when she had met the boys of the Bebop.

She sighed and quickly shook off those thoughts as she stepped into the kitchen slowly meandering over to a large window that opened out into the darkness of the backyard, idly pulling out one of her cigarettes. Despite being deeply involved and up against the syndicates, Jinni's house was peaceful and the inhabitants happy. Faye could only wonder why the displaced members of the Bebop couldn't find that same happiness as easily as these children.

Faye brought her cigarette up to her lips as lightning flashed across the looming storm clouds, an intricate pattern of jagged streaks flooding the small kitchen with light and foretelling the houses occupants that it was coming. Faye caught sight of the large, bulky and metal play set that sat a distance away from the house, and as she thought about her current situation she could understand why the children were so happy here. For Faye, for the first time, in a long time felt some peace.

Smiling around her cigarette, Faye bent her head to guide her hand into her pocket so she could retrieve her lighter and suddenly froze. She had been too caught up in her thoughts and emotions that had kept her awake tonight to notice it when she had first came in, but now, as she finally started to relax and her nerves had started to settle, the other presence in the room was undeniable.

After a tense moment of hesitation, Faye slowly began to move again, trying to appear as though she were unaffected by this new turn of events. Drawing her lighter out of her pocket, she prepped herself for some miniscule verbal battle that would, undoubtedly, set her nerves aflame as his words had so many times before. Taking a deep breath she tried to steady any rampant emotions that might have strayed onto her masked features before she even dared lift her eyes to confront the lanky man who sat in the shadows of the corner.

Just as she lifted her eyes to meet his outline, a brilliant flash of lightning stroked the sky, causing the dark shadows about to the room to retreat to their day time holes and allowing the two occupants of the small room to meet each others gaze. In that few scant seconds, as his mismatched eyes crossed paths with her green ones, Faye unconsciously took several steps back as a feeling of what could only be described as shock rammed through her system.

As the lightning flickered across Spike's face, the flash highlighted his odd red tinted irises allowing Faye to see the smoldering and quivering intensity of the emotions that were building inside him. In that instant, when the lightning invaded the room, everything that Faye had ever wanted to feel from and provoke within the cold man spurned through her veins in a rush of boiling blood as she stood a victim to his heated gaze.

But the moment was gone as quickly as it had come, fading out of existence with the last pulsating stroke of lightning. Faye's hand came up to clutch at the fabric just above her heart as it gave an odd lurch as it resumed beating, and only as the erratic motion swelled in her chest did she realized that it had stopped. The silhouetted figure in the corner had remained still and Faye found that she couldn't move while knowing that that intense gaze was still locked on her, only hindered from reaching her by the surrounding darkness.

It was only when thunder rented the air, following only seconds behind the jagged streak of lightning did she feel her paralysis lift and transform into the sudden urge to get away, to put some distance between them. Trying to look as calm as possible, Faye stalked over to the back door and yanked it open, the cool night air causing her to shiver. She slammed the door behind her, her hand moving up from the fabric of her shirt and coming to rest on her forehead as confusion flooded her. It was the same earnest light that had been in his eyes earlier. He had locked that intense look on her and kept her frozen with the feelings that were so clearly etched across his face, despite having told her so plainly that it was impossible for him to ever feel those things for her; to ever accept her love.

Faye felt her chest heaving as she labored to draw in air, her head swirling as she tried to figure out what was happening. She didn't know what to make of him anymore. Over the passed couple of weeks he had sent her so many mixed signals that she was drowning in them and she no longer knew which way was up. After several feeble attempts she finally managed to spark the lighter that was clutched tightly in her shaking hand, and had to use her free hand to steady flame long enough to light up.

She took several hits off her cigarette, the entire days tension coming back at her tenfold, making her much more restless than she had been when she was sitting in her bed. She couldn't understand how one simple look from Spike could send her into another erratic emotional state; she couldn't understand why she was so close to tears when she had nothing to cry over.

With a frustrated snarl, she stalked away from the house trying to put as much distance as she could between her and the person who had fragmented her so with only a few simple words and with a heated stare, one that was beyond her comprehension of understanding. That look had always been reserved for his precious Julia. That look had always been present when there was any chance of Spike getting to see his angel and Faye clearly remembered it when she had delivered Julia's message to him. But now, for it to be directed at her, when he had so blatantly told her to fuck off, was something she couldn't comprehend.

A bout of thunder caused Faye's to slow and soon completely stop, her turbulent eyes lifting up to watch the dazzling display of light that approached with the impending storm. The storm was furious and raging, crackling with a life all of its own, each stroke of lightning flashing and holding on to the very last before fading.

Faye was as furious as the storm appeared to be, her fists continuously clenching and unclenching at her sides. The distance sounds of the rumbling thunder, for some odd reason, drew from her memory the sound of wailing sirens, and the night she had caught Spike sobbing on the roof. It was strange, but that memory calmed her emotions slightly, lessening the frustration that had been building. But there was something about that moment that had caused a change in her.

When he had returned after his fight with Vicious, he was still the cold and heartless bastard she had always known, but with a twist. He was more emotional than Faye had ever known him to be, more cold and aloof, but the worst was that he had become a very angry man. Angry with the world for living when everything he had to live for was gone, angry to still be alive.

But it was that night on the rooftop that Faye actually saw how bad off Spike was, and it was that night that she decided to try to help him; show him that despite what he thought, he did have people to live for, people who cared for him, people who could love him no matter what he had done or what he did.

She had opened up to him, shown him a side that had been hidden away ever since the pain Whitney had inflected on her had caused her to calm up, to believe that she was the only person in the world who she could trust. She had been like that until she had found the crew of the Bebop; found Spike. She had found a home onboard the Bebop, found people who started to care for her although they had no reason too. They had been her lifeline when she first met them, up until she found her place in the world. That night, with Spike on the roof, Faye came to believe she was returning the favor, throwing out a lifeline when the person she cared for had no one else to turn too.

And now, she realized looking back on those weeks that something had changed in their attitudes towards each other. While they still fought, there was less animosity in their squabbles, and gradually the anger is Spike lessened. While Faye had always thought that he never opened up to her, she had never taken the time to see the little instants that he did because her anger clouded her, her frustration at his still emotional state closing her mind from seeing the changes.

His kisses, him handcuffing her, his desperate tactics to save her from the Lions, it was all piling together and adding up to show that he was slowly opening to her. Faye jolted as thunder broke again bringing her thoughts back to the conversations they had throughout the day. Faye sighed as she watched another jagged streak of light break through the clouds, and a sharp feeling of determination shot through her.

No matter how confused she felt, no matter how bad Spike became, she wouldn't change, she would remain open, would remain his lifeline through whatever he threw at her. It didn't matter if he said he didn't love her, didn't matter if he wouldn't accept her lifeline now, for she would leave it out there, no matter what happened. She sighed and closed her eyes, once again seeing the odd light in his eyes, that look was enough reason for her to keep trying to reach the insufferable man that brought her so much confusion.

"Oui, monsieur." Faye jolted at the sudden French accented voice that broke out of nowhere. As she stood there looking into the darkened area a stab of fear caused the tension between her shoulder blades to start to build again. She tried to judge the direction the sound was coming from, and she felt a sting of unease rise in her throat like bile as she realized he was coming from the direction where their ships were hidden. "Nous la cherchons maintenant, mais nous n'avons pas de nouveaux renseignements. Je suis désolé, monsieur." There was an audible pause as a distant voice answered him and the sound left Faye with little doubt in her mind that he was headed for Jinni's house. "Bien. Au revoir."

Faye's fingers instinctively sought for the gun that was usually holstered against her hip only to come up empty and before she had time to even think of any sort of plan, the French speaking man stepped out of the blanketing darkness, materializing suddenly in front of her. He was angrily shoving his communicator into his pocket and his free hand was running through the curls of brown hair that framed his eyes that were slowly widening as they fell upon her. "Shit." The single word fell from Faye's lips before she realized she had spoken aloud and there were several moments of startled surprise on both their parts before they snapped into action.

Faye's unfinished cigarette tumbled from her fingers as she watched the man reach inside the flap of his jacket and pull out a pistol. With her feet propelling her forward, Faye only had a second to react, lunging forward in a frontal summersault as the man leveled his pistol in her direction and fired.

The air was knocked out of her as her back hit the ground, her body tensing as the crack of the pistol rang loudly in front of her. As she rolled upright, her nimble fingers blindly wrapped about a fist sized stone at her side and watched apprehensively as the man quickly tracked her, his finger tightening about the trigger. In the next second, Faye had forcefully hurled the weighted piece of earth in the French man's direction and bolted to her feet, pushing unsteadily off the sandy ground in an attempt to close the distance between them before he could fire again.

The rock caught the man across the temple, and sent him staggering back a step, his aim pulling off to the left. Faye was quickly there and followed the blow of the rock by kicking the gun from his hand. The man gave a low growl half of pain and half of anger as he grasped his wrist and watched his pistol go flying through the air, landing out of reach of either of them. His inattention only earned him a hard left hook followed by a hard knee to his stomach. Faye winced as pain shuttered through her already bruised knuckles and as she jumped back to put some distance between them she observed that the skin around her knuckles had split.

Faye barely looked up in time to see the man charging her, a flurry of punches causing her to wrench backwards and duck just to give her some time to bring her arms up to block the series of jabs. Faye watched his moves intently waiting for an opening to return a counter as she shuffled backwards knowing that due to his size and strength the only way to keep the playing field even was to feign retreat.

As the man pulled his right fist back to perform an uppercut, Faye struck, catching him off guard with a hard downward blow to his knee, and rounded out the movement by following through with a sharp roundhouse that sent the man spinning. Faye watched in amazement as the man landed roughly on his side, and seconds later, was flipping onto his feet as if no damage had been done. With wide eyes, Faye stumbled backwards as the man charged at her once more, his barrage of punches becoming harder and harder to block as they came faster and more forceful.

Suddenly the ground gave beneath her feet, and her eyes grew wide as she realized that she was stumbling back faster than she had intended. Before Faye's could even try to fix the mistake, the man had taken advantage of the situation, and using her wayward momentum against her, cut in with a solid uppercut which sent her flouncing earthward.

Faye's eyes clenched closed as she bounced twice before coming to rest several feet from where she had started, her already bruised body convulsing under the harsh treatment. When she finally peeled back her eyelids it took her several seconds to realize that she was staring up at a lightning patched sky, and a sharp pain was swelling in her lower jaw. Quickly remembering how she had ended up with her back on the ground, Faye sat up, eyes blinking several times to clear the fuzz as reality once again came into view as she scanned the area for her opponent.

To her surprise she found the man hobbling away from her favoring his left knee, his head frantically sweeping left and right as if he was making sure no saw him as she ran away. "What the hell?" He was running away? Faye slowly brought her right hand up to her jaw, her fingers gently molding around the bruised area in a massage and groaning as she tried to assess the damage. "Goddamn him." Faye brought her other hand down to her lower back where her gun was usually stashed, her fingers pressing into the quivering and sore muscle. As her fingers ran across the spot on her hip where she usually stashed her gun all movements ceased.

Wide green eyes turned towards the man as he slowly started to stoop and her mouthed dropped open with a cry of disbelief. "The gun! Son of a bitch!" Faye was quickly after him, hands digging into the ground for leverage as she clawed her way into standing position and was soon sprinting full force towards him. As he straightened, the pistol gently wrapped in his fingers with his back still towards her was when Faye barreled into him. Her forward momentum was enough to knock them both off their feet and she succeeded once again in sending his pistol airborne.

Faye let out a small groan as her shoulder slammed roughly into the dirt and left her wondering how many more times she would end up on the ground. With great strain she lifted her head, and forced open an eye to take a look at how her opponent was fairing. The groan of pain was enough to force a grin onto her lips that was only lessened slightly as she watched him feebly clawing at the ground in an attempt to reach the gun that only lay a few feet out of his reach.

"Oh, hell no." Faye flopped over onto her stomach, her right hand stretching out to its limit in an attempt to grab the man's ankle. "Don't you fucking French ever know when to quit?" Faye managed to lace her fingers around the man's left ankle, her manicured fingers digging into the flesh around the bone much like she had done earlier with Spike's wrist. "Where do you think _you're_ going?" Bringing her left hand up to completely enclose his ankle, Faye forcefully tugged downwards dragging his bulk back a few inches away from the pistol.

Faye fought to close the distance between them without relinquishing her grip and was slowly inching forward until her head came even with his heels. At that moment, the man's free foot snapped skywards, his heel successfully colliding with the bridge of her nose, and sent pain reverberating throughout her body long before she could even register what had happened.

Faye quickly released the man, her hands instinctively coming up to hold her throbbing forehead. "Fuck!" She sat back on her heels, white spots flashing across her blurred vision and the back of her eyelids suddenly forgetting the threat of the gun. Softly testing the tender skin, Faye was grateful to discover the shot to the face had not been enough to break any bone, but she knew that she was going to have one hell of a headache in the morning.

Through water blurred eyes, Faye focused in on a pair of feet that stopped a yard in front of her, the soft yet excruciatingly loud click of the man's pistol resonating in her ears. Faye sighed heavily remembering why she had been so desperate to stop him in the first place. "Fucking A."

As she sat there staring at the booted feet of the man who had bested her, a raw tremble of rage jolted through her system. Neither of them said anything, but Faye knew that the man was enjoying seeing her like this, enjoying standing over her slumped form, just waiting for her to meet his eyes so he could see the angry defeat that radiated in them. A grim smile stole across her features at that thought, for she knew that she would rather die than give this man the privilege of seeing her eyes at that moment.

A soft gasp from the French man, caused Faye's already bundled and taunt muscles to tense even further, and sent an unbidden flinch down the length of her back. "Careful." A low and angry growl sent a bone chilling shiver down her back and her eyes widen. There was something about the voice, the overall tone was abrupt and spoke on many levels that this was not a person to be reckoned with. "You wouldn't want me to use this." There was also something more to its unique gravelly sound; something very familiar.

Forgetting her earlier determination not to meet the man's gaze, she slowly allowed her watery green irises to trace up the French mans legs to where his pistol was leveled at her forehead. To her astonishment, the pistol suddenly rolled forward out of his tense fingers and was left to dangle on his trigger finger, the handle presented to her. Faye blinked, uncertain as to what had just passed and it was only when the man was roughly shoved to his knees in front of her that Faye looked up.

She almost didn't recognize him. It was the same fuzzy mop of green hair, same mismatched eyes, same blue suit, yes, but his face! Never had she seen Spike look so murderous; no nonchalant mask, no distant eyes, just an undeniable rage clouding his hardened features. Spike was scowling; the barrel of his gun was pressed roughly against the French man's temple with enough force to make the skin surrounding it to blanch under the pressure of the metal. "Are you all right?" It took Faye a second to realize that his rough tone was directed at her, for his narrowed eyes never strayed from his prey.

Faye swallowed hard and forced the words out and around the thickness that had suddenly clogged her throat. "Y-yeah . . . yeah, I'm fine." The stuttering words that carried an air of uncertainty caused Spike's eyes to slip down to survey her unsteady form and as his eyes caught hers, the feeling that had penetrated her so deeply in the kitchen was once again flooding her veins causing her face to flush.

Spike's gaze was skeptical and Faye found herself fidgeting almost nervously under his appraisal; it felt like he had assessed both her physical and mental state in that single glance and she didn't have the confidence that he would believe her false bravado. As Spike moved forward to get a better view of her, he yanked the pistol out of the French man's hand and looked like he was about to confront her on the matter of her injuries when the man tried to speak.

His attempt at conversation was only rewarded with Spike bringing the handle of the pistol down across his head, and sent him sprawling forward onto his hands. Spike glared down at the man and once the French man recovered enough to look up, Spike once again had the barrel of his gun leveled at the man's temple. "Let's skip the formalities, shall we?" Spike ground out, anything he might have had to say to Faye suddenly forgotten as his captive took all of his attention.

The French man stupidly opened his mouth to speak again but Spike cut him off by brutally forcing him onto his stomach with a hard kick to his lower back, and Spike's bony knee followed suit, digging into the man's spine with his entire weight. Faye studied Spike's profile, the muscles in his jaw were jumping and his grip on the pistol was tightening as he stared down at the victim that beneath his knee. "Now," a low guttural tone broke from the base of Spike's throat. "You're going to tell me everything I want to know."

By this point Faye had gathered herself into some semblance of mind that brought some life back into her limp limbs. Slowly standing, Faye turned away from the two men, away from the person who was once more confusing her, and took in the dark house which set her into another state of unease. Surely if Spike had heard the gun shots then someone else would have. Surely Jet would have heard the shots. Faye couldn't help but feel that she was missing something. Why would the man come to any house alone?  
"Who sent you?" The bite in Spike's tone was accompanied by a brilliant flash of lightning which clearly illuminated the entire backyard. It was at that moment that she saw it, hunched down trying to stay within the shadows of the house was a crouched figure. As the patchwork of light faded, Faye caught a precise jerk of a pumping motion and distantly heard the chunk of the person's weapon.

Seconds later thunder roared in Faye's ear and her eyes whipped back to Spike's tall form, his head bent over her attacker as he roughly twisted the man's wrist to force out an answer, completely oblivious to the pump-action threat. Without hesitation Faye barreled into Spike's anger erect form, the sound of his surprised grunt washed away as the sound of a bullet shattered the bark of a tree that had been in line with Spike's angered form. The next thing Faye registered was Spike's weight toppling onto her.

Faye was flushing once again as Spike's warm and hard frame unintentionally molded into hers, sending the familiar deep seeded feeling rushing through her veins. She slowly lifted her eyes to see Spike gazing down at her with a look of wonder, and as she was pinned there, under that gaze her breath caught in her throat as the world stopped. At that moment there was nothing but the hard muscle above her, and the warmth of his breath ticking the hair about her neck. And then she could breathe. The light that had been in Spike's eyes changed drastically yet the feeling of haze still clouded her vision, still conformed to her as though she were in a dream, she lost in the feelings that crawled across her skin and invaded her mind.

Spike's weight shifted above her and his left arm snaked around her waist before he sent them rolling across the hard ground. Faye was vaguely aware of the spinning sensation and the pressure the pinched the nerves in her back each time Spike was onto. When they finally came to a stop, Spike was quick to his feet, and as he pulled her up with him, she could only turn her head to watch through that muddy haze as a bullet splintered the ground where they had just been, grass and dirt spewing into the air in the wake of its impact.

Faye swallowed hard, knowing exactly what was happening about her, but couldn't get her mind to register that it was all real, even as Spike grasped her wrist tightly and jerked her into a run as they charged towards the closest object that could provide some cover: the play set. With a deep set frown, Spike slowed enough to swing his gun arm about, leveling it in the direction of the new attacker and fired blindly to give them a few precious moments of cover.

It was only when Faye stumbled and fell to her knees that reality jolted back at her full force. A bullet, that was undoubtedly meant to plow through her skull hissed through the air just above her, and sent enough of a shock through her system to clear the haze that had muddied her mind. Faye blinked dumbly for several seconds before she scrambled to stand with Spike's aid. "Shit!" Faye shriek was cut off as Spike, who had stopped firing to help her up, once more raised his gun and sent another volley of shots in the shooters direction until they practically crashed to the ground together, taking what little cover the metal bars of the play set provided.

Spike eased Faye behind his back, his crouched form slanted slightly sideways so he could take a look at her, scanning her small form for any injuries. "You all right? You hit?"

Faye scoffed, anger flooding into her once again as she realized how stupid she had been to allow herself to fall into that hazy stupor. "I'm great, Spike! Just peachy! I look like I've been through hell and I feel like I'm a goddamn punching bag – I'm just super!"

Spike's usual cocky grin replaced all worry on his face when he realized that Faye was fine before he casually tossed the French man's pistol in her direction, a roguish gleam conquering all other emotions in his eyes. "Is _that_ why you've been so pissy?"

From the moment that she caught the stare, despite the nasty words, Faye couldn't help the smile that thickened her lips as she rolled her eyes. It appeared that something short of a miracle had happened since she had last conversed with him; somehow the cold and emotionally wrecked man had vanished, leaving in his place the old Spike Spiegel she had known before he went on his suicide mission, before he went to find out if he was alive.

Spike was suddenly unloading another round of bullets as a person hustled across the yard seeking the protection of a nearby wood pile, and while Faye watched this, she came close to asking what had happened to him to cause such a drastic change in his demeanor but it suddenly occurred to her that her French attacker was nowhere in sight. Her eyes scanning the area she felt a slight panic hit her. "Oh, shit. Where is he?"

Her soft whispered surprisingly reached Spike's ears as he chanced a look over his shoulder at her and nodded his head towards the yard. "Upturned picnic table to the right of the woodpile." A smug grin creased his cheeks, and Faye could only imagine that he was playing out the man's mad scramble for that safety zone over in his head. "He's not much of a threat at the moment, you have his only weapon."

Suddenly, as if tuned in to some unknown sixth sense, Spike's head snapped back to the yard in front of him and his left hand blindly latched onto her wrist. "Fuck! Move!" Faye didn't have the chance to obey his command for he was already on his feet, dragging her along out of danger as a bullet sparked into the metal of the play set.

With eyes narrowed in a cool calculation, Spike came to a sudden stop, his upper body twisting as he used all his strength to fling Faye away from him, sending her spinning into the safety of the houses shadow, while his right hand swung up and blindly fired at their opponents until his gun clicked empty. Reacting on reflexes alone, Spike lunged for the safety of the house, as the unknown gunman stood up and retaliated.

Spike slammed into the wall next to Faye with a wicked smile, his hand easily ejecting the empty clip in his gun while his other hand fished into his pocket for a full one. "Think you can cover me?" Spike slammed the new clip into place, his eyes seeking hers as a feral grin spread across his perspiring features.

Faye turned her gaze down to the small pistol in her hands and ejected the clip to see how many bullets were left as her eyebrow arched. "Since when did you start trusting me to watch your back?" She forcefully slammed the clip back into place as she raised her eyes back to his, still uncertain if he was the real thing.

Spike chuckled softly at her answer, and brought his newly loaded weapon up in front of him, poised for battle. "Since when did you start taking everything I said so seriously?" Faye felt her eyes go wide and her back stiffened, not believing she had heard him correctly. Yet he didn't give her the chance to answer, and with a nod in her direction, he rushed into the darkness. It took Faye a second to spring into action, her gun drawing up as she stepped even with the corner and began to fire blindly in the direction of the woodpile.

Only when Spike began to shoot as well did Faye retreat back to the safety of the house, a plan already forming in her head to flank the shooter from behind and vaguely wondering why no one else in the house – namely Jet – had yet to come see what the commotion was all about. There were several more gunshot blasts and Faye peeked around the corner to see Spike had gained some ground. Faye prepared to rush into battle when out of the corner of her eye she noticed the French man making his way to the side of the house.

With one last look towards Spike's crouching form, Faye turned on her heel and started to make her way to the front of the house. Faye crept along the wall and stopped at the corner pistol poised in front of her as she took a glance around. The French man had slumped up against the wall, one of his hands clutching his shoulder. Faye felt a smile tug at her lips, as she imagined that he had hurt himself in his scramble for cover. Ducking back behind the wall Faye took a deep breath; Faye stepped around the wall and smiled as the man jumped in shock.

Faye felt a twisted snarl of a smile hardening her features and she couldn't help but take delight in the fear that shone in the stunned man's eyes. "Are you going to come quietly, or am I going to have to hurt you?"

The man was suddenly on his feet and off and running, hobbling on his good leg as he tried to make for safety. But Faye was faster. A single shot sparked the ground to his left and caused him to stop, lifting his hands into the air. Faye walked halfway out to meet him and softly told him to turn around. The sounds of gunfire had faded from the back of the house and Faye was anxious to see if Spike was all right. "We're going to take this nice and slow, any sudden movements and I'll put a bullet in your head, you got it?"

The man just nodded and showed no sign of even trying to run. Jerking her head in the direction of the backyard, the French man began to walk without any resistance. Their soft footsteps and heavy breathing were the only sound as they rounded the corner to the backyard. The eerie silence that surrounded them was only broken as they came out into the open as her French captive gasped. Faye soon saw why. In the middle of the yard Spike and the shooter stood in a stalemate, both of their guns were leveled at the others head.

And as soon as Faye got a good look at the scene in front of her, she couldn't stifle the gasp of her own. Shotgun discarded several feet away and replaced with a more manageable pistol, Jinni Black stood opposite of Spike, her eyes narrowed dangerously as she met Spike's unwavering and formidable glare head on.

AN: _Ta da! Sigh. Long chapter. Not the best, but not the worst either. I'm worried about this chapter and the next one, I consider this chapter my lead in for the romance bit of this story. I'm worried about writing romance, I always feel like I'm writing one of those trashy romance novels. Oh well, we'll see how it goes. And I feel like I've made the characters a little out of character. You guys will tell me if I have, right? You better! Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter - I'm done. Take it easy!_

_Oui, monsieur_ – Yes, sir.

_Nous la cherchons maintenant_. - we are searching for her now.

_Mais nous n'avons pas de nouveaux renseignements_. - But we have no new information.

_Je suis désolé, monsieur._ - I am sorry sir.

_Bien. Au revoir_. – Okay. Goodbye

Kyra: See? See? Updated! Maybe not Friday, but here's to Saturday, right? Now it's time to start in on my projects for Monday and decide where I'm going to go for the next chapter … hmmm. We'll see. Talk to you later, hun. Take it easy!

Phoenix521: I'm glad you liked it. I live to put people through a ringer! Lol. Hope this chapter was as amazing as the last one. I'm not quite sure how this chapter will go over, but I want to bring romance back in to this story – I feel like I got away from that . . . sigh. Anyway, thanks for reviewing! Till next chapter!

Angelfrommynightmare33: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked my last chapter; hopefully this one will be just as good! Take it easy!

Zottie: Since people were saying they didn't mind the dialogue overload I added a bit more to this chapter, hopefully it makes sense. Hope this was updated soon enough. Thanks for sticking this story out with me! You've been here since the beginning and it means a lot! Till next time!

Kim: I added a little twist to their confrontation this time; I'm hoping to pull more into the romance section without getting to OOC, but I think I did. Sigh. Did I increase your interest with this chapter? I hope I did! I'm glad to see someone is a little happy that I'm back. Hopefully this chapter will be just as pleasing. Take it easy!

Kuro-Ippikiookami21: There you go again, making me blush. I really don't deserve all this praise! I say you deserve more than me because you've stuck with me throughout this whole story! Did I add a twist to Jinni? I wonder what people are thinking about her now . . . pointing a gun at Spike. (smile) This is really you're favorite CB story? Wow. You're gonna make me cry, sobs of happiness that is. (Winks) Well hope you enjoyed this! Looking forward to what you think! Till next time, take it easy!

Nikoleta: I updated! Hope it was too you liking! Till next time, Take it easy!


	15. Chapter 13

_An: You know the drill. Notes at bottom and excuse typos._

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop

The Last Fragments of You

Alternative Therapy

Chapter Thirteen

Spike and Jinni remained motionless despite the intrusion of Faye and her captive. They were speaking in low tones, too softly for Faye to hear what they were saying, and both of them were using the same smug smile, the same bland, utterly calm face. There was something about them that didn't sit well with Faye. "What the hell." Faye's whisper was only answered by a small snort from the Frenchman who was in obvious agreement about the situation; neither of them knew how to react.

A light rain had begun to sprinkle earthward, and a slight shift in the direction of the wind allowed a few brief words to come floating over the sound of the storm to where they stood. "So Granny Black, it appears that it's your move."

Jinni just laughed slightly, her features never looking anything less than confidant. "What do you expect me to do, Mr. Spiegel? Lower my gun to save that man's life?" Faye watched as the Frenchman shifted uneasily and his hands clenching and unclenching at his side, while he watched the exchange between the two. His jaw muscle was twitching and the muscles in his arms were rigid and tense, in Faye's eyes he looked like a caged cat ready to pounce on the next thing that moved.

Faye took half a step forward and pressed the barrel of the pistol into his back while her free hand came up to grip his forearm for extra reassurance. Faye plastered a sickeningly sweet smile across her bruised features as she leaned forward to whisper into his ear. "Careful there, I still owe you one for my jaw."

There was a soft laugh that Faye almost mistook for a growl that radiated from the base of the Frenchman's throat, and his shoulders jiggled with the sound. "You'll never get that chance to repay me, mademoiselle; especially when I inform Pierre that you have become quite cozy with Mr. Spiegel."

Faye opened her mouth to ask what he was talking about but the words froze when her eyes trailed from the sarcastic smile that had slowly thickened about Spike's lips to the Frenchman's that were slowly curling into something fouler and more unpleasant than should have been present on his face. Faye instantly knew that nothing good could come from that look.

She felt more than saw the attack, the muscles of his forearm that was clamped tightly underneath her manicured fingernails jerked suddenly and began to pull out of her grip. Faye barely had time to react as her supposed captive whirled about, his right leg arched skywards as he attempted to land a roundhouse across her ear. Faye felt her knee buckle beneath her as she stumbled away from the blow, but despite her effort, the Frenchman still landed the kick. His foot jarred painfully into her shoulder with enough force to send her spinning into the side of the house.

Faye brought her hands up in time to brace herself as she rammed into the solid siding, and she cursed when she opened her eyes and her blurred vision focused on her weaponless hand. Quickly forcing herself to reestablish her balance, she looked up in time to see the Frenchman rushing towards her, preparing to land a blow to knock her senseless. With a small growl, Faye waited until he was almost on top of her before she spun out of the way nearly avoiding what would have been a painful knee to her chest. Two quick rotations and a hard sidestep opened up her opportunity to counter his miss with a hard back fist, catching him across the lower jaw as he prepared another assault.

Seconds after she landed her blow she slipped into her fighting stance and a smug smile thickened her lips as she registered his grunt of pain. "Resorting to playing dirty, are we?" Faye couldn't keep conceited tone out of her voice. The Frenchman slowly turned his eyes to meet hers and a low growl was her only answer. Faye cocked her head to the side and gave him a once over. "Well bring it on then, big boy. I've never been one to follow the rules or play fairly."

The Frenchman didn't respond but instead made a hasty lunge that Faye barely avoided by ducking, and gracefully pivoting around his large figure. As soon as she was sure he had drawn even with her smaller frame, she pulled up into a tight spin letting her left leg drag slightly behind her effectively tripping the burly man. But as Faye had noted earlier, the man was surprisingly resilient and despite the fall, managed to flip into a crouch only seconds after his back impacted with the ground. Without bothering to stand, the Frenchman used both is hands to balance and quickly twisted about, sending his left leg sweeping towards Faye's shins.

Catch off guard, Faye teetered unbalanced for several moments before she pitched forward, quite unexpectedly falling into the crouched Frenchman's form and sent them both sprawling to the ground with her on top. Faye groaned as her chin bashed roughly against the man's shoulder and only had time to blink as the Frenchman briskly dug his large fingers into her shoulders and rolled them over so he was on top. Faye gasped in pain as the Frenchman pressed his weight into her legs and torso, effectively pinning her to the sandy ground.

"God! You're heavy!" The strained words that left Faye's lips were suddenly cut off as the Frenchman's long fingers slowly curled about the tender skin at the base of her neck. Instinctively, both of Faye's hands shot up, one trying to connect with his nose in an attempt to break it, the other wrapping about the flesh of his wrist and desperately digging her nails into the tender skin.

Faye gasped in shock as the Frenchman easily caught her right hand just before it connected with his face. "Easy there, Girlie." His words had an air of amusement to them. Faye stilled her struggling as she looked up at him, trying to seize up how serious he was to tightening his hand and completely cutting off her air supply. She did her best to glare up at him through her water blurred eyes, as she painfully wheezed in small amount of air. A cruel smile curved about the Frenchman's lips as he listened to her awkward breathing. "Still want to play dirty?" His English was smooth and fluent, belying that he had ever spoken a word of French.

Faye slowly allowed her eyes to close so she could focus on blocking out the panicked feeling that was gripping her system. Panicking was something she didn't want to do at the moment; she didn't want to lose her head. With another deep wheezing gasp Faye struggled to speak. "Go . . . fuck yourself." There was a light chuckle that followed her words and to her surprise the Frenchman loosened his grip some.

Faye allowed her eyes to open and she watched in bewilderment as he gently brushed a few loose strands of hair away from her face. "Such crude words for such a beautiful woman." He spoke once his humor had faded, leaving behind a soft and almost remorseful tone. "But I guess I shouldn't be surprised. After all, you're nothing but a whore."

Faye tried to laugh but failed miserably, and instead the sound that escaped from her throat sounded like she was dry heaving. "You should talk." Faye couldn't help the almost feral smile that quivered across her features. Faye allowed her eyes to close for a second, taking another wheezing breath as she tried to concentrate on getting her next set of words out. "You're nothing but a whore to a dying syndicate. . ." Faye took another wheezing breath of air as her muscles began to twitch from the lack of air and her lungs began to burn. "Dying because your leaders won't accept anybody but pure-blooded incestuous trash."

The man's entire torso trembled with rage and Faye looked up to see his face begin to well with redness from unabridged anger. His hand tightened about her neck even more but the cruel smile never left Faye's features.

The Frenchman leered down at her. "I wouldn't be too concerned with a dying syndicate when you're so close to dying yourself because of your associations; first the Lions leader and now the Red Dragon leader? You sure know how to get around, don't you?"

Faye choked at the words, and had to blink several times to make sure she had heard right. Lions leader? Red Dragon leader? Trying to blink the water out of her eyes, she focused on the Frenchman's eyes, looking for any sign that he might be toying with her. But there was only the anger that she had incurred when she had taken a stab at his syndicate. Though it seemed the only possibility, Faye couldn't believe that he was actually suggesting that Spike was . . . ?

A shutter that traveled down her oxygen deprived muscles broke her from her thoughts, and she suddenly became aware of the deepening white hue that was building in the corner of her eye. The Frenchman's features slowly softened as he too felt her trembling. "It will all be over when you wake up, Little One." Faye wanted to lash out at the sincere tone, wanted to make him drop the remorseful act, but found that her limbs were becoming heavier by the moment. "Sleep well."

Faye fought to keep her eyelids from closing as an unnatural silence compressed about her ears. She felt lightheaded and the white hue was slowly darkening to a black when suddenly the Frenchman released her, and vanished from her view. In the next instant an intense feeling of warmth spread into her chest and expanded into her arms and legs.

Relief was the first emotion that registered in her mind when her lungs were allowed to expand freely, without hindrance for the first time in over a minute. Slowly the world began to filter back to her as oxygen rushed into her bloodstream and her ears filled with the tremendous crash of the storm that had been all but lost to her as she lay under the Frenchman.

Faye coughed as violently as she inhaled deeply, the air painfully raking against her tender windpipe as she tried to get her limbs functioning again. With a hand resting at the base of her throat, she closed her eyes and slowly rolled onto her side as she tried to gain control of her system again. As soon as the coughing fit died, Faye slowly opened her eyes only to freeze, her face contorting into a look of utter disgust. Just inches from her head was a decaying woodchuck.

"Ugh!" Faye's scream of shock and disgust was accompanied by her quickly rolling away from the dead animal, the smell registering in her nose as she started to hack again this time at the smell and memory of the carnage. Faye sat up as soon as she had put a good distance between herself and the carrion before vigorously rubbed her hands up and down her arms as she tried to brush off the smell. "Gross, gross, gross!" Faye couldn't stop the gag reflex as the she thought about how close she had been to rolling across the top of the rotting flesh like a dog.

A sound of a harsh grunt caught Faye's ear and she remembered why she had been so close to the woodchuck in the first place. Faye followed the noise with her eyes to see two men silhouetted by the darkness, exchanging blow for vicious blow. She flinched when one man caught a savage punch across his jaw and was sent staggering back several steps. The man who had delivered the blow spoke in a low and angry tone that sounded strangely familiar. It was only when lightning flashed down from the patchwork sky that Faye got a clear view of the two men.

Faye's eyes widened as she stared at her lightning highlighted savior, who was daring the Frenchman to stand back up after the hard crack to the jaw. "Jet." Her hoarse whisper of surprise was overpowered by a tremendous crash of thunder. At that moment Jet's black eyes caught Faye's and beneath the fury that was pulsing in his irises there was no denying the underlining concern.

As another bout of coughs overtook Faye, Jet turned and lunged at the Frenchman again, his fists fighting to break through the weak blocks that his opponent threw up. The Frenchman was holding his ground, his eyes frantically searching for a weak spot to throw up a counter.

"Jet! Luc! That's enough!" Faye jolted as the sound of Jinni's voice rolled over her and sent a chill of dread racing up her spine. Faye watched as the tiny woman stalked up to the two men like they were a couple of feuding ten year olds and tried to forcefully yank them apart.

If Jinni was here, then where the hell was Spike? A stab of fear started to thrum to life in the pit of Faye's stomach and rose like bile up her throat. Frantically whipping her head about, Faye surveyed the barren grounds for any sign of a body and a large amount of uncertainty began to swell like blood at the back of her mouth as she struggled to keep from yelling out. Her eyes scanned the length of the yard, panic gripping her as she scrambled to stand.

What had happened in the short time that she had been occupied? Where was he? Spike couldn't be . . . dead? "Oh my God." Her voice was high and tight and filled with something akin to despair. As she teetered about on shaky legs, a large hand gently wrapped about her shoulder and steadied her. With a soft shriek, Faye turned around fist flying onto to have it easily clasped in the larger hand.

"Whoa! Take it easy, Faye." As Spike's gruff voice washed over her it easily cut down all the fear and panic that had so quickly built up, and quickly deflated any fight she had left in her. Lifting her watery eyes up to the man who still held her hand, she barely managed to keep her composure as she met his goofy grin. "You all right?"

Faye started up at him in shock, not quite sure how to answer him. As she stood there, a squall of emotions raging just below the surface but it was only when his grin widened that Faye was able to settle on one feeling. "You asshole!" Faye yanked her hand free from his grip and her body trembled with rage that superseded all other emotions.

Spike laughed softly as shoved his hands into his coat pockets. "I guess you're all right then – you're still as bitchy as ever."

Faye couldn't help but sputter indignantly. "You asshole!" Faye's fists were clenched tightly at her side as she strained to keep herself from lashing out at the insufferable man. With an enormous amount of patience, Faye jabbed her finger in the direction where Jinni was helping the badly beaten Frenchman into the house. "What the _hell_ is going on? You and Jinni were ready to _slaughter_ each other just minutes ago and now everything's all right?"

Spike didn't answer and Faye looked back to see him intently eyeing her neck. Spike's eyes narrowed and finally followed the people she was pointing at where a raging Jet was being restrained by Jinni and staring murderously at the bleeding Frenchman. "Damn, Jet got to him first."

Faye leaned forward and narrowed her eyes, not having heard what he said. "What did you say?"

Spike shook his head and purposefully eyed her wounds. "I said I'll explain everything inside . . . once we get you cleaned up."

"No. I refused to move until you tell me what the hell is happening Spike." Faye fumed and crossed her arms in what she hoped was an imposing stance. Spike just chuckled at her and without warning, reached down and scooped her up into his arms. "Spike!" Faye couldn't stop her squeal of surprise as Spike proceeded to carry her across the yard. "Put me down, asshole! Put me down!" Faye kicked her legs wildly as she tried to break free of Spike's hard grasp. Spike's just smiled ignoring her wailing as he followed Jinni into the house.

* * *

While Spike helped Faye clean her cuts, and Jinni helped the Frenchman, Jet was left to put all the children back into bed. Most of them had awoken at the first crack of the gun and had been peering eagerly at the ensuing gun fight. Once they were certain that all the kids had been settled back down for the night, without much help from Edwards squawking about "the boogie woogie Frenchman', Spike had practically forced everyone into the kitchen.

Faye leaned against the kitchen counter, her arms akimbo as she glared at the Frenchman who sat smugly at the kitchen table across from Jinni. Spike stood just to her right, his angry eyes hidden by a shadow that crossed his face. Jet leaned rigidly against the back door, his hard features never turning from the Frenchman. It had taken some coaxing to finally Jet down enough to where he could actually stand being in the same room as the Frenchman. Faye felt something tug at her heart as she realized that it was because he cared for her.

Jet turned his hate filled eyes to his mother and shook his head angrily. "You going to explain what the hell is going on, _mother_?" Jet's voice had furious tinge that corrupted his otherwise blank tone. In all the time she had known him, Faye had never heard him sound so angry – so hurt. Even if it wasn't in his voice, it was in his posture, in his features, in the glint of betrayal in his eyes.

Jinni sighed, her hands coming to rest on the table and her eyes desperately trying to meet her son's. "Don't hate me, Jet." Her voice was low and remorseful, and Faye felt a slight prick of guilt. "There are some things in this world, my dear child, despite what you think, that cut me deeper than anything you could image. Your hate is one of those things."

Jet grunted and looked away. "Hate you? I don't hate you." He huffed sarcastically, and slowly let his cold eyes slide over to where the Frenchman was sitting. "How could I hate the person who attacked my _family_?" Faye flinched at his tone, the words even stinging her. She knew how important family was and this had been the first time these two had seen each other in a few years; she felt it was her fault for creating this gap between them.

Jinni just smiled grimly and nodded at the words. "I see."

There was a low growl from the Frenchman and he slammed his fist into the table, eyes glaring right back at Jet. "You're a real ace, you know that?"

Jet's placid face twisted with rage. "Keep talking, you're a few words from getting your face kicked in."

The Frenchman laughed bitterly, a feral smile thickening his lips. "I'd like to see you try, old man! You have no idea what Jinni's-"

"Luc! That's enough!" Jinni viciously cut off the Frenchman, her hard gaze turning on the man that she welcomed into her home. "He doesn't understand. None of them do. He has a right to be angry with me."

Jet snorted with disbelief. "Angry? You think I'm angry?" Jet moved away from the door so he could stare at his mother face to face. "You would betray your own family and for what?" Jet turned his eyes towards Faye and something about her sparked his fury, with each word his was coming closer and closer to completely erupting. "For a couple of woolongs? And what about the children? Were you going to turn them over too?" Spit was flying from his lips as his fists curled at his sides to keep from lashing out. "You aren't the woman I once knew. I can't believe you're my mother."

A heavy silence followed Jet's shouting, and no one dared say a word as she walked slowly back to the door where he stood with his back facing them as he tried to compose himself. Jinni heaved a soft sigh and she slowly pulled her trembling hands off the top of the table to keep them from view.

"Jet." Her voice was firm and steady but there was too much agony in her features and eyes that easily belied any confidence that she felt. "I probably deserved that. I know I haven't exactly been the best mother to you. But . . . you _know_ I would never do _anything_ to jeopardize the safety of those children!"

Jet looked over his shoulder to where his mother sat at the table and he slowly ran a hand through his hairless head with a heavy sigh. As if suddenly making a sudden decision, Jet turned completely about and walked forward to stand beside his mother. "Then explain." His words were deadpanned and Faye wasn't sure how much faith Jet really put behind them, for the trust between the two had been savagely broken.

Jinni looked over to where the Frenchman, Luc, sat and he nodded slightly to her. Jinni turned her eyes back to her son with a grim smile. "Jet, this is my informant from the Lions syndicate. He's was coming over tonight to help me prepare for the next raid. He's been giving me information on the Lions Syndicate for years. He's been with me forever. When I went out to see what the gun shots were all I saw was him kneeling in front of another man – I thought one of the Lions guardsman had caught on to what he's been doing. So I fired at Spike!"

Jet looked over to Spike who shrugged and nodded to Jinni. "Just listen to her Jet. I believe her." Faye turned her eyes to try to decipher why Spike was speaking up. When the Frenchman had attacked her, something had happened between Spike and Jinni to eliminate all anger that had been the greatest friction between the two of them for the last couple of days. As Faye looked at Spike, she had a feeling, that no matter what she said or did, whatever words had been exchanged between Jinni and Spike would remain a mystery.

Jet blinked and eyed the Frenchman intently for a minute. "Luc." Jet's words were filled with surprise and Faye vaguely remembered Jinni calling that name outside. "This is Luc? This is the man you told me about?"

Luc looked up with a lopsided yet cocky smile as he bowed his head down to Jet. "C'est moi! The half breed French informant!"

Jet looked thoroughly shocked as he turned to his mother. "Why didn't you say he was coming tonight?"

Jinni shook her head looking completely relieved. "I didn't know. Luc never announces when he's coming. I guess it would have been helpful tonight."

Jet turned back his gaze to the man who sat dumbly grinning at the table. "You're still on my shit list."

Faye growled and for the first time since the conversation became decided to speak up. "If you're a fucking informant for Jinni then why the hell did you shoot at me?" The room when silent as Faye spoke up, her eyes narrowed dangerously. As Luc looked about the room he was met with the cool stares from both Jet and Spike.

Luc slowly turned his gaze back to the enraged Faye, a calculating look hardening across his stone features. "You really know who to play these men, don't you?" One of the corners of Luc's mouth twitched upward in a feral smile, and he stood in order to loom over Faye's smaller form. "I bet Mr. Leader over here hasn't the slightest idea that you were at the Lions Syndicate."

Faye sneered up at the taller man but Luc got his desired result as her eyes slipped between the emotions of being angry and terribly confused. "What the hell are you going on about?"

Luc's smile widened as he closed the distance between them and suddenly grabbed Faye's wrist, boldly ignoring Spike's low growl and Jet's sharp 'hey' of warning. "I saw you, all cozy with Pierre Dragonetti." Luc turned his eyes to stare at Spike's darkening ones. "This tasty little morsel – this whore – has been going to Pierre behind your back." His eyes fell to Jinni. "She was there the same night as the target." He slowly turned back to Faye and sneered down at her. "Admit it, that's why you were outside waiting for me tonight, you figured out who I was and what I was doing!" As the words left his lips he gave Faye's wrist a sharp twist and in the next second he found himself being flung harshly across the room.

Faye stumbled back to the kitchen counter clutching her wrist as she watched a raging Jet storm over to where he had thrown the man and forcefully thrust his foot across Luc's chest. "The _hell_ do you think you're doing?" Jet ignored Jinni's cry and pointed to where Faye stood. "If I _ever_ see you lay a hand on her again or on any of my friends – no my family – I will kill you! I don't care how important you have been or are to my mother's operations! You hear me? I will kill you."

"Jet! I'm sure it was a mistake!" Jinni's calm voice was accompanied by her rising from her seat. "Let him go!" Jet looked down at the prone figure beneath his foot and viciously kicked him away from him before walking over to Faye.

He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?" Faye nodded and smiled up at the older man. For the first time in her new life Faye felt like she was truly loved and cared for; before she had always felt like a bit of a burden to Jet and Spike, but at this moment she couldn't feel anything further from that truth.

Jinni sighed as she looked to where Faye stood and then back to Luc, a small smile forming across her lips. "Luc? Did you meet the target at all at the Lions HQ?"

Luc shook his head as he brushed off the back of his pants. "No, I heard it all second hand." As he answered he looked up questioningly to see Jinni small smile.

"I see. Well, let me introduce you. Luc, this is Faye Valentine." Jinni waved to where Faye stood by Jet, who was casting a weary glare in Luc's direction.

Luc blanched as he stared at Faye's thin form. "You're Faye?" Luc gave her another once over and shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe that Reeves would risk his life for a bitchy woman like you."

Faye felt all the blood drain from her face at the mention of Reeves, any anger that was sparked from the comment dissipating with the force of the shock. "You knew Reeves?"

Luc sent her a calculating stare before he slowly shook his head, his eyes no longer angry just cold and hateful. "Better than you did." There was something harsh and almost cynical in his voice that made Faye feel uncertain. She slowly stepped away from Jet's larger frame and took half a step closer to Luc. The fact that this man knew made her feel almost sick, yet at the bottom of all the emotions absolutely thrilled.

Faye didn't know what she was expecting to hear when she spoke but there was something begging her to speak. "Then you know what happened?" Her voice was soft and when Luc didn't answer right away she wasn't sure if he had heard her.

But his hard eyes were locked on hers and his face was completely apathetic but there was something in the stiffness of his muscles, in his posture in the way his nostrils were slightly flaring with each breath the showed the anger that lurked beneath his calm exterior. "Know what happened?" His voice was edgy and harsh. "Are you alluding to the fact that you killed him?" Faye flinched at his bluntness and the accusation that his voice held. She closed her eyes and all she could see Reeves lying on the ground clutching his stomach as blood pooled down out of the side of his mouth. When she opened her eyes again, Luc was scowling at her like she was nothing more but dirt beneath his feet. "Don't give me that pathetic look. You made a choice and now you have to live with it. You saved the Red Dragon leader, now don't go regretting your decision. Don't you dare regret your decision and shit on Reeves memory like that."

Faye's eyes widened and her breath hitched painfully in her throat as she tried to fight back tears. Jet was suddenly by her side, his large hand resting lightly on her shoulder as she pulled her back to lean against him. Faye felt a tremble of rage pull through her body, and despite the agony that pierced her with those words, there was one sentence that had sent her spiraling out of control faster than any of the others. "Red Dragon leader?"

She slowly turned her eyes from Luc to see Spike still standing by the counter, eyes downcast. Luc laughed bitterly and turned his icy eyes away from Faye and landed on Spike's aloof form. "You're little syndicate has been putting up quite the fighter against the Lions, Mr. Spiegel."

Spike slowly raised his eyes and his mahogany irises connected with Faye's. Faye watched as he indolently scanned her features before his eyes hardened and he turned to face Luc. "It's not my syndicate." His voice was low, dangerous and held a tinge of something that challenged Luc to oppose him. Faye looked up to look at Jet's placid face, and he appeared to be as confused as her.

Luc solemnly shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, I'm just call 'em like I see 'em. The Dragons didn't start fighting the Lions until they proclaimed they were out for your head."

Spike slowly straightened, his hands shoved deep into his pocket and while every motion seemed fluent and smooth there was a small hitch in the way his muscles moved. "I don't care what the Dragons do. I'm not the leader. If they're fighting the Lions than that's their choice – not mine." Spike turned his eyes towards Faye and there was something that made her feel like he was pleading with her to believe him, begging her not to listen to the nonsense that Jinni's supposed informant was sprouting.

Luc let out a long whistle as he folded his arms across his chest. "I think I understand." Luc's eyes slowly turned to Faye with a wide sneer and his chuckled softly. "He never told you, did he?" His eyes swayed back and forth between her and Spike's form, his amusement building. "I can't believe you never told them. But I bet it was because you were afraid, afraid of what would happen." Luc snickered and closed his eyes, a hand coming up to rub his temples. "But it did happen, you didn't prevent it and now because you didn't tell her she's the number one target." Luc raised his eyes back to Spike. "Did you know that Pierre craves her now? That he wants nothing more than to gut her? All because you didn't tell-"

Faye blinked and the next thing she knew Spike had strode up to Luc and roughly thrust his hand up against Luc's neck. Spike easily slammed Luc into the wall and slowly tightened his grip about the man's neck as she lifted him off the floor until he was only standing on his tiptoes. "You're on very thin ice. You have been pushing my limits tonight. One more wrong move and I will gut you . . . understand?" His voice was dark, serious and abrupt, and left Faye with little doubt that he would do exactly as he said.

Everybody else in the room stood in muted shock, not sure what to do or say to change this situation. Jinni was standing back clutching a hand to her chest as her wide eyes slide imploringly to Jet to step in to stop him. Faye eye's widened as she saw the same feral look in Spike's eyes as she did earlier that evening.

Spike leaned up so he was just inches from Luc's face and whispered into his ear. Faye watched as Spike's hand slowly tightened about the base of Luc's throat, Luc's eyes widening with each passing second and when he nodded slightly Spike suddenly let him slump to the ground. "Remember what I said." Spike growled down at Luc's slumped form as Luc struggled through a series of coughs. "Don't test me, you'll regret it." Spike turned away from Luc and didn't bother to meet Jet's or Faye's eyes, instead kept his gaze down as he walked over to the back door.

Jinni slowly moved forward and kneeled beside Luc's form softly talking into his ear. Luc easily brushed Jinni away and stood, his watery eyes cautiously watching Spike as he tried to pull himself together. Faye turned her worried eyes away from Luc and landed to where Spike was roughly breathing.

With a squeeze to Jet's hand that still rested on her shoulder, Faye walked over to Spike and cleared her throat trying to gain his attention. "Spike?" Spike slowly turned to face her, his raging face slightly softening as caught her eyes. "The Lions are after you because you killed the Lions leader, right?"

Jet audibly gasped at this information. "Wait. You killed the Lions leader?" Spike growled and slowly turned away from Faye and back to the window on the backdoor. "Spike?"

Spike sighed. "It's nothing Jet."

"Nothing? Nothing!" Jet cleared the distance between them in three strides and had roughly whipped Spike about. "You say that them taking Faye hostage and blowing up my goddamn ship is nothing? Don't give me that shit. Don't tell me our lives have been in jeopardy for nothing, Spike!"

Spike gently brushed Jet off and ran a hand through his hair. "It's complicated, Jet."

"Then un-complicate it. Jesus Spike, Faye and I have been through hell because of this. I believe that we at least should understand why this shit is happening to us!" Jet turned away from Spike and Faye could tell he was restraining anger that was brewing beneath the surface.

Faye softly sighed and turned her eyes towards Spike as he growled. "All right." He sighed as he waited until he had Jet's attention again. "Pierre wasn't part of the Lions until recently. He was actually a Dragon. He had been with the Dragons since he was just a child – a lost soul kidnapped from one of the French colonies. At the time, the Dragons were trying to dominate the Lions, the coup figured if they could clean up the colonies and take some new recruits at the same time then they could wipe out the Lions."

Spike laughed at this comment and shook his head. "Look how well that worked; just made the Lions start to hate their half breed counter parts. Pierre had been old enough to remember being taken and he hated the Dragons for it. He sought out any Lion members he could find in hopes of finding someone to help him bring down the Dragons. Guess who he found?"

"Francois." Faye uttered softly at the memory of the old man. "He found Francois."

Spike nodded. "Yes, he found Francois. Each of them took advantage of the chaos in each syndicate and worked to get closer to the top. Leadership of the Lions was already in Francois's hands. All Pierre had to do was win over the coup. Their plan was to bring the two syndicates together. By the time I figured out what was happening I only saw one solution."

Luc's laugh interrupted. "So you thought by killing the Lions leader you could save your syndicate?"

Spike shrugged. "I wasn't trying to save the Dragon syndicate. I was trying to keep power out of the hands of fools. If nothing else I was thinking about the people who cared for me."

Luc shook his head. "How did you know that the Lion's elders had reservations about Francois?"

Spike shot Luc a calculating look. "Pierre isn't as careful as he thinks he is."

Jet sighed and scratched the back of his hand. "I'm not saying I totally understand what's happening, but how did all this make you the Red Dragon leader? Didn't you run from the syndicate? Didn't they want you dead?"

Spike shrugged his shoulders. "Bygone be bygones. When I killed the Lions leader I guess I also secured my position as the Leader of the Dragons, even if I didn't want that position."

Faye wanted to ask him why he didn't want the position; why he didn't want the chance to get almost anything he could ever want, and not have to be stuck eating bell peppers and beef without the beef everyday. But something in the back of her mind told her not too, something told her that if he had wanted to talk about it, he would have told them. Maybe, that position would have brought back too many bad memories from the past. Whatever the reason was, Faye didn't believe she had the right to question him on it.

Faye cleared her throat. "So Pierre and Francois are after you because you took away their best shot at power?" Spike turned his weary eyes over to Faye and gave her a small nod. "That still doesn't explain how Jet and I got involved in this mess."

Something flickered across Spike's eyes but Faye wasn't given the chance to analyze it for Luc quickly jumped at the chance to speak. "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, isn't that right Mr. Leader? Pierre always knew you were going to be a rival for leadership of the Dragons; he had planned to kill you, that was until he found out some interesting information. Pierre really looks up to you Mr. Spiegel, and he was going to try and swing you over to your side any way he could." Luc turned his eyes towards Faye with a cynical smile on his lips. "You want to know why you got involved in all of this? It's because Pierre believe that Mr. Spiegel over here is in love with you. You became Pierre's trump card for bringing Spiegel over to his side."

Jet bellowed out a laugh and patted Spike roughly on the back. "My God! Where the hell did he get that idea? Spike's been caught up in the death of that woman for months - what's her name? Julia! He hadn't been himself for months! But Spike and Faye! Hell no, I just can't see it, they're always fighting That's gotta be a joke, right Spike?"

An awkward silence filled the room, Faye felt her face turning a hue of light pink and Spike's placid face was locked onto Jet's questioning eyes. Jet's eyes widened when Spike didn't immediately respond to him, and a look of realization crossed his face. "Jesus Christ." His soft exclamation seemed to set time in motion again.

Jinni slowly walked past where Faye had bowed her head to keep people from seeing her eyes, and Jinni gently grabbed Luc by the elbow. "Come on, dear. It's been a long night. I'll show you to your room."

Jinni bid everybody good night as she started up the stairs with Luc a couple of feet behind her. Jet watched them go up the stairs and slowly turned back to Spike. He looked at his partner for a good long time and then turned his eyes to Faye who still didn't dare lift her head. "Well, Spike. Whatever happens . . . you can count on me." Looking back and forth between the two again he shook his head and started for the stairs. "Goodnight."

Even with Jet gone, Faye could not raise her eyes, the idea of those haunting irises locked on her like they had been all day caused her to tremble, and she wasn't exactly sure what to make of the whole situation. There was a tight tension growing at the bottom of her stomach something that she couldn't quite place. "Well," Faye spoke softly shifting uncomfortably. "I guess I'll go to bed."

Faye gasped as Spike's hand gently wrapped about her chin, lifting her eyes up to meet his. She hadn't even heard him approach and she couldn't believe that he had been able to get so close, as for her to feel the heat that was pouring off his body, without her knowing it. "Faye." His voice was warm and gentle, the first time she had heard it that way the entire night.

Faye stiffly held up her hand and closed her eyes. "I don't want to hear it, Spike. Not now, please." Faye didn't know when she had become so emotional in front of him. It seemed like every time she was around him she felt like she was breaking into thousands of pieces. It had always been anger she had relied on to wash away the warmth that clutch at her heart whenever he was around. But now, for once, she didn't want to be angry, she didn't want to wash away the feeling, she wanted to be bathed in it. For, as she looked into his soft eyes there was a chance that he might feel the same way as she did about him.

Without a word, Faye slowly closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms about his torso, fresh tears that she had pushed back since he had rescued her came flooding back. She buried her face into his shoulder as the sobs wracked through her system. "Please . . .let me have . . . this moment." Her words were muffled and soft so she wasn't sure if he heard her, but even if he didn't, he seemed to understand that she needed this.

His muscular arms slowly wrapped about her, one at her waist and the other coming up and wrapping about the back of her head, just holding her to him. Neither of them said anything as she cried, he just repeatedly stroke her hair and every now and then gently kissed the top of her head. Faye shivered as the warmth of his breath brushed across her ear as he bent down slightly, his lips barely grazing the skin on the lobe. "I'm sorry, Faye. I'm sorry that I got you into this."

Faye's was hiccupping slightly and as she pulled back she shook her head. "No, I don't blame you Spike. I just wish . . . I wish you would have told me."

Spike laughed as he brushed a tear off her cheek and pushed some of the strands of violet hair behind her ear. "Right, like that would have made any difference. You would still have recklessly gone after Edward; you would have still been caught. You would-"

He was cut off as Faye roughly slammed her hand into his chest, her eyes narrowing. "Fuck you." But there was no anger behind the words, just a bit of humorless contentment. As she looked up at Spike's face, her amusement slowly faded as the memory of what had transpired returned. She felt a faint blush tinge her cheeks as she realized that Spike was still holding on to her waist.

Spike seemed to realize what was going on in her head and sighed. "Faye, I- "

Faye cut him off again by bringing a finger up to his lips. "Let's not talk about this now. It's . . . been a long day." It's been a long year. Faye rolled her eyes at the thought and moved to extract herself from Spike's grip when he stopped her.

Faye lifted her eyes up to his to see him smiling at her, really smiling at her. "Faye . . . thanks." Faye nodded but was caught off guard when he slowly leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead for several seconds before he dipped his head even farther and caught her lips.

Faye felt her world brighten around her. This kiss was nothing like the others before it. Those had been harsh, demanding and in a sense brutal. This one while hard and sensual held something so much more passionate. The kisses before were filled with some that felt so akin to sadness that made her heart want to break; this kiss was different, this kiss evoked pure electricity, that made her thrum with life and made her toes curl.

Spike slowly broke the kiss with a lopsided grin and gently ran his hand across her face. Faye was panting heavily, her green eyes wide with shock and couldn't stop but wonder when she had started to provoke such a look of contentment on Spike's face like the one that was beaming there now. As Faye stood there speechless, Spike slowly kissed her brow again before he backed off. "Get some sleep, Faye. There's going to be a lot to discuss in the morning."

Faye could only dumbly nod, the intensity of his eyes driving her heart up into her throat and making it spasm out of control. She needed a breather; she had to get out of that room to give herself a minute to figure out what the hell had happened to make Spike so . . . open.

Faye couldn't even find the words to bid him goodnight. All she could do was fumble up the stairs until she found the room that she was sharing with Edward. Faye paused outside the room, trying to still her fast pumping heart and closed her eyes. She still couldn't quite understand what all had happened, but she wasn't sure if she wanted too.

A creak to her left made Faye realize that she wasn't alone and she didn't need to look to see who it was. "I thought you went to bed." Her words were clipped and hard as she turned to see Luc smiling nastily at her.

Luc merely shrugged and watched her as she slowly turned around to face him. "I wasn't tired." He sauntered up to her, easily closing the distance between them in a few strides and gently brushing his hand across the skin across her neck. Faye didn't move her ground, refusing to be intimated by him. Faye knew that at this moment he wouldn't dare harm her; not after all that had happened tonight, not with how badly he had been manhandled, not when all she had to do was scream.

"What do you want?" Her voice was cold and strong, and Luc seemed to understand that he couldn't frighten her. He huffed as he drew his hand away but didn't back off.

"I want you to listen." His words were smooth and confident as if he knew he was going to get his way. Faye still couldn't get over the fact that he spoke French so fluently, and yet his English accent didn't have any trace of it. Faye rolled her eyes and slowly started to turn to go in to her room when Luc's hand caught her wrist. "It's about Reeves."

Faye froze and turned to look to see how sincere Luc was being. "What about him?" She heard her voice quaver slightly, and she felt her throat thicken with the emotion that had consumed her earlier.

"I don't know what he saw in a bitchy scrap of a woman like you." Luc shook his head as he gave her another once over.

Faye easily twisted her wrist free and stepped back slightly, angry that he would hold Reeves over his head. "If you have something to say, then say it. You call me disgraceful to his memory, but with how you continue to hold it over my head isn't any better. So either fuck off so I can go to bed or tell me what you have to say because I'm getting sick of you." Faye spat as she struggled to keep her voice down.

Luc let out a soft whistle at her statement and laughed slightly. "So the cat does have claws. Doesn't need the two men to always look out for her?"

Faye growled and placed her hand on the doorknob. "Fuck this and fuck you." Luc once again stopped her from entering the room by covering her hand on the knob with his own.

"Reeves was a half breed, did you know that?" At Luc's words Faye turned to face him to see something akin to panic twisting across his features. With a heavy sigh Faye nodded and waited for him to continue. "Both Reeves and I were brought into the Lions Syndicate together, registered as full blooded French when we were only half breeds. We had plans on bringing both the Lions and Dragon syndicates down for how they were torturing our people. Killing, raping, stealing. We wanted revenge."

Luc's eyes became distant and his whole body rigid. His eyes slowly turned to Faye and he smiled grimly. "Reeves was persecuted in the syndicate because he was gay; no matter where he went he couldn't find any peace. Then one day, He and his brother got caught trying to free some of the kids and take them here. But instead of both of them taking the blame, he practically drowned his brother to keep his identity as a full blood in tact and condemned himself."

Luc smirked, eyes looking at the wall above Faye and shook his head. "His brother hated him for that. They never got along again after that." His eyes slowly slide down to where Faye was staring up at him. "He was a good man. Do you now see why, I can't help but wonder why he would risk his life for an ungrateful girl like you? Just before he had that goddamn chip implanted in him, he told me he believed you were the girl that could bring down the Lions. He saw something in you that I can't. All I see is a weak nothing of a girl that's just a waste a oxygen."

Faye scowled up at him, and felt a tremor of rage shoot up her spine. "Think what you want. It doesn't matter to me. You've condemned me in your mind long before you met me. I don't blame you for hating me, but don't blame me for the senseless actions of your goddamn syndicate."

Faye turned to go into her room but Luc stopped her, his eyes glaring down at her. "I don't see what Reeves sees in you, but I'm not going to go against his last request." Faye stopped struggling and waited for him to continue. "He wanted to make a plea to you to help him. He wanted your help to destroy the microchip implants - that was his ultimate goal when he joined the Lions. So I am going to need your help tomorrow."

Faye stared up at the man and shook her head. "Why should I do anything to help you?"

Luc smirked down at her. "Like I said, I feel like you owe it to Reeves. After all, you killed him because he had a damn chip in his back." Luc padded the shocked Faye lightly on the shoulder and started down the hall.

"Tell me one thing." Faye called out and watched as he paused to turn back at her. "What's your relationship to Reeves?"

Luc let out a huffing laugh and turned back to continue down the hall. Faye didn't think she was going to get an answer but was slightly surprised as he paused outside the door to his bedroom and looked back at her, a dreary smirk on his features. "Reeves was my brother." With that said Luc walked into the room and shut the door firmly behind him.

_An: All right. That's that. Any interesting twist for you guys? Wow. I'm all tuckered out. That's a lot of typing for one sitting. I'm not sure the exact amount, but we are coming close to the end of this saga. Just a few more chapters to go probably. As always please excuse the typos, I hate editing. Anyway, take it easy, people!My brain is gone -I'm done!_

_C'est moi_ - It's me

Kyra: Like I said, just for you – a decaying woodchuck! (Smile) I know I'm horrible! I'm not too certain about this chapter, I like the ending a lot better than the beginning half. But I don't have the determination to try and rework it. That's the part I kept getting frustrated with over and over and over again. But at least it's done. Could be better could be worse, right? I would like to keep my brain! Please don't take it! You can borrow it from time to time if you want! But don't take my brain! I would be a useless lump without it . . . no more Fragments. (Smile) Anyway, take it easy!

Phoenix521: So what did you think of this chapter? Probably not as exciting as the last one, but oh well. We're getting to the end of this story, the big action pack finale is about to come up, I'm really looking forward to writing it! Glad your excited for romance! Till next chapter!

Zottie: This chapter probably wasn't as intense as the last, but I hope it was still intriguing. I liked the ending of this chapter better than the beginning. I think it got more intense then. Anyway, only a few more chapters left! Till next time!

Firevixen73: An interesting twist? I hope this chapter answered some of your questions! I hope it was as interesting as the last chapter! Take it easy!

Oyuki: Hee hee. Did you see that coming? Is keeping Faye on her toes a bad thing? I don't think so. Anyway, I hope you did enjoy this chapter as much as the last. Till next time, take it easy!

Kim: Spike on a white horse is the best kind of Spike, wouldn't you agree? I'm so glad that I got you so turned around with Jinni – makes me smile to make people wonder about her. Hopefully she redeemed herself in this chapter though, right? Anyway, hope you like this chapter too! Until next time, take it easy!

Madeline: Ooh! An addict! I love people who are so hopelessly addicted to my story – makes me smile! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Till next time!

Gabriell Myka: Do you still think Jinni is a traitor? What do you think of Luc? Hee hee. Thanks for reviewing! Till next time!


	16. Chapter 14

_An: Excuse typos. Notes at bottom_

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop

The Last Fragments of You

Alternative Therapy

Chapter Fourteen

Faye sighed as she surveyed the wreckage about her and idly kicked a scrap of metal that had fallen from the remains of her Redtail. Her ship was trashed. Just like the rest of her life. Everything she touched became trash. Her life before the gate crash was torn from her and now her life was slowly following it. The Bebop and its crew, Reeves and now her Redtail; she was a walking train wreck dragging everything and everyone around her down with her.

Vaguely Faye realized that the main reason she had dragged Jet down here was to see if her ship could fly, and if it could she knew that she probably wouldn't have stuck around here much longer – not with both men of the Bebop claiming to feel close to her as they said they did and certainly not after the morning's events. It wasn't that she didn't care about them; no it was far from that. It was part of her mindset; a mindset that told her that allowing anyone to get close was not a good thing. She had learned a long time ago that relying on people - trusting people - only led her to getting hurt. She was so sick of getting hurt.

But as Faye eyed the wreckage she found that she couldn't blame her need to run solely on her mindset. She would be the first to admit, at least to herself, that she was scared and the events of the morning were doing nothing to help settle her thoughts; it only gave her more of a reason to flee.

After her conversation with Luc last night, she hadn't been able to sleep – at least not peacefully. The few hours she had dozed off she had been continuously ravaged by nightmares. She couldn't remember what they had been about, but when her eyes had refused to close again after jolting awake at four thirty, Faye had clamored out of bed and sought for a method of relaxation.

She had found that a hot shower could be considered a cure all when she had first been on her own when she had first awoke from years of sleep. The nights that followed Whitney's false death was agony and she was swamped with guilt. Many of those predawn hours had been spent shivering beneath a continuous spray of hot water, endlessly hoping to wash away the memory of her saviors last moments, hoping to find a bit of peace in sleep. With time she had gotten over it, but the pain had lodged itself into her system and it was something, that even thinking back on it now, years later, haunted her. With his debts and his death she lost the ability to accept people into her life, lost the ability to trust.

So this morning as she stood there, the heat of the water soaking into and through her tense muscles, purging her of the weariness and uncertainty that had built up over the last few hours and rusted to her joints, she had hoped she would be able to have a few undisturbed hours of dreamless sleep before things clicked into full swing. But luck wasn't with her, and just as she was starting to relax and feel the pull of sleep on her limbs, she realized that she was no longer alone in the bathroom.

Even after she realized who the person was, Faye kept herself nonchalant as she reached down to turn off the water, but almost immediately she felt herself tense up again. She slowly raised her hands to wring the excess water out of her hair, the droplets splattering nosily across the shower's bottom in the thick silence that hung about the room, before she opened her eyes and turned her head to see the curtain blurred figure leaning smugly against the base of the bathroom sink. "What the hell do you want?"

"Someone's pissy this morning." The light masculine chuckle that accompanied the words affirmed Faye's suspicion of the man's identity. When Faye didn't respond, Luc reached over to where her towel hung on the door knob, and waved the fabric tauntingly in front of him. Faye bit her tongue to keep from shrieking at him as she peeled back the shower curtain and viciously snatched the towel from his hand, her eyebrow ticking maddeningly as she struggled to keep her temper in check.

Luc laughed as she hastily wrapped the towel about herself, his eyes blatantly roving over her body without any sort of remorse. When his eyes finally reached her face, his smirked widened as he took in the scowl that was deeply creasing her forehead. "Ah, don't be shy. It's nothing I haven't seen before. Besides, one would think that you would be used to flaunting your "wears" considering how you dress." Luc simple nodded in the direction where her shorts and top sat on the floor, having been heedlessly tossed when she had first entered. Faye's frown deepened when she realized what he was implying and tugged at the top of her towel to make sure it was secure around her dripping body before she dared to raise her enraged eyes to meet Luc's playful ones.

Her voice was surprisingly mellow and calm despite the anger that she could feel boiling within her. "Go fuck yourself." She snarled as she stepped out of the shower, roughly pushing Luc back towards the door to put some space between them. Faye pushed several strands of water slicked hair behind her ear as she took a moment to try to calm herself down in an attempt to keep herself from killing Luc outright. "You have five seconds to explain why the hell you're in here before I do something that you'll regret."

Faye felt herself bristle as Luc laughed again, and watched as his eyes once again looked over her wet form before coming to rest on her face. "You keep scowling like that and it will give you wrinkles." Faye's hand bunched into fists at her sides and she felt her body quiver with the force of her rage.

Faye stuttered for several seconds, finding it difficult to speak to him without drawing blood. "Keep talking jackass, we'll see if you're still laughing when I castrate you." Faye hissed and moved to step around his bigger bulk to walk out but was stopped short by his hand coming down and painfully squeezing forearm.

"An empty threat from a foolish woman." Luc's amused tone grated on Faye's nerves as her eyes dropped to where he was firmly holding her. Luc squeezed a little harder when Faye tried to yank herself free from his grip and clucked his tongue softly.

"Let. Go." Faye raised her narrowed eyes up to where Luc was smirking down at her, taunting her as he raised his eyebrow as if challenging her to press him. Slowly he leaned forward so his mouth was just millimeters from her ear, the hot air from his lips sending a chill racing down her spine.

"No." The single whispered syllable sent all rational logic fleeing from Faye's mind. With a growl, she reared back, her white knuckled fist striking swift and hard, connecting solidly across Luc's left cheek with enough force to send his head snapping viciously to the side. Luc's playful features fell, and all humor creased lines on his face vanishing as he turned his head back to her. Faye was panting heavily with a small smile as she ravished the feeling of her fist driving into the soft flesh of Luc's face and her eyes were daring him to try her again. Slowly Luc brought up his free hand and idly poked at the pink tissue with nonplussed expression.

Faye yanked her arm free of his grip and rough shoved passed him, this time unhindered, but froze as his words washed over her. "You telegraphed your punch." Luc slowly dropped his hand and once again the same cocky smile was locked on his features. But this time the amused lilt to his voice had vanished and Faye knew that he was done playing games.

Faye felt her eyebrow arch at his words and before she realized what she was doing she had once again drew her fist back and sent it flying. This time her fist collided with Luc's open fist, and she couldn't say she was all that surprised, but more disappointed not to feel the delightful give of her fist meeting the already tender tissue of his cheek. Luc softly tsked and began to squeeze his fingers about her closed fist. "You caught me off guard last time; your chest was keeping me otherwise engaged. You only get one free hit." Luc's grin widened as he enjoyed her disdain. "By the way, you telegraphed your punch again. You're letting your anger get the better of you."

Luc threw her fist away from him and sneered as she growled at him. Faye roughly pulled up her towel as she stared Luc down, both trying to dominate the other. "You think I'm angry? You haven't seen me angry. If you ever say anything like that to me again, I'll make sure you're painfully engaged elsewhere."

Faye gave Luc one last sharp look before she made to move out the door when Luc caught her by the elbow again. Faye turned sharply and was about to send another punch flying when Luc drew her to him; his arms wrapping about the damp towel and his hands coming to rest on the small of her back effectively pinning her arms to her sides. He leaned forward so she could feel his warm breath fluttering across her damp cheek, sending a shiver down her spine. "Believe me, Ms. Valentine; my intentions for coming here were completely pure – although, it appears it has had certain perks." Faye snarled as Luc looked suggestively to her chest and struggled against his hold unavailingly. Luc quirked a small grin at she slowly her thrashing movements. "Are you going to listen to what I have to say?"

"Do I have a choice?" Faye snapped as she finally managed to untangle one of her arms from his grip and dug her nails into the tender flesh of his shoulder.

Luc barely grimaced at her desperate act. "Not really." Luc laughed mirthlessly at her attempts to free herself and finally let her go, sending her sprawling backwards into the bathroom door with a loud bang.

Faye gave a small cry as her head smacked into the wood behind her but quickly righted herself and straightened her towel as she shook off the unexpected blow. "Jackass." Her soft curse only caused Luc to raise an interested eyebrow.

"Feisty." Faye turned her anger narrowed eyes in his direction as he once again closed the distance between them, stepping right into her space and eliminating her comfort zone. "Reeves said you were feisty."

The cold yet somehow sincere words made Faye freeze. At the moment, looking up into his callous eyes, she found that there was nothing she could say or do to respond to him. The strange sincerity that hung in his voice jolted through her system like a blast of electricity, and for the briefest of seconds she wasn't see Luc, she was looking at Reeves. Faye blinked as her mouth dropped open in shock and suddenly felt an unprecedented urge to flee, to get as far away from the house and the people in it as possible.

It was a moment of complete clarity, a moment where she finally understood the consequences and reasoning behind what she had done. She had killed Reeves for Spike, killed Reeves because she loved Spike and now Spike was claiming to feel something for her. Deep inside she had always tried to deny that she felt anything for the insufferable man, but now she could no longer deny it – not after she had killed for him. Then there was Jet. He had told Luc that she was part of his family and in Faye's mind family and trust went hand in hand. Trust was something that Faye never gave away easily, but now she knew that she had given it to him without even realizing it.

And now looking up at Luc the truth in what her relationship with the crew of the Bebop was snap into place. She had found people who truly cared for her, who trusted her, and what was worse, she trusted them. Things were getting too close for comfort, and she knew that it was time to flee, but this time, she wasn't sure if she could force herself to.

Swallowing roughly, Faye turned her eyes away from him and desperately tried to get her nerve back. "Speak quickly." Faye was glad to see that despite how rattled she felt her words were still harsh with anger and bitterness.

Luc blinked several times, slightly taken aback by how quickly she had conceded to hear him out. He eyed her wearily for several heavy seconds before he waved it off. "Jinni and I are planning a raid. We're planning on bringing down the Lions Syndicate. What I need you to do is convince Spiegel to lower those high and might standards of his and be the distraction. . ."

* * *

"Well Faye," Jet's voice, accompanied by his large hand falling on her shoulder cut through Faye's reverie. Faye blinked several times before she turned to eyes Jet who was inspecting her Redtail with a critical eye. "I don't think we can salvage much." His eyes slowly turned to hers and all she could do was slowly nod in agreement. Everything was screaming at her to run, but now that she didn't have a ship to use . . .

Faye sighed and looked once again at the wreckage. "I suspected as much." Faye tried not to sound too disappointed as she turned her eyes to look at the ship Jet had just come from. "How about the Bebop?"  
Jet scratched the back of his head as he eyed his old fishing ship with a grimace. "Nah, not much there to salvage either; I'm surprised that anything managed to survive that blast." Jet shook his head and patted Faye lightly on the back. "But that's just the bounty hunter's life."

Jet slowly started to meander back towards the Bebop and after one last longing glance at the Redtail Faye followed. Faye idly kicked up some dust as she saw the mess that the Bebop was in . . . or at least what was left of it. All that littered the ground was some charred remains of metal and fragmented pieces of their lives scattered throughout those. Looking at the blackened pieces of the ship Faye couldn't help but feel a little sad over loss, for the short period of time she had spent on that ship had been one of the better times in her life.

"There's not a whole lot left, is there?" Jet's gruff voice held an emotion that Faye couldn't quite place. Faye just silently shook her head as she eyed the smoldered remains of metal. Jet had lost his home, and she couldn't blame him for being a little distant at the moment, a little lost sounding. After all, she knew what he was going through; this was not the first time that it had happened to her.

With a tentative hand, Faye caught Jet's elbow and with it drew his eyes to hers. He was giving her a puzzled look, his eyebrows scrunching together as he studied her visage. It was only when those sharp eyes of his traveled down to her hand did she realize that she was shivering slightly. Tactfully, Jet didn't mention it and raised his eyes back to hers. Faye swallowed deeply and tried to find the courage to say what she felt she needed to say. "Jet, I . . ."

She fell silent and Jet's eyebrow arched inquisitively. "What?" Jet asked his voice low and encouraging. Faye slowly removed her hand from his elbow and stared hard at the ground wishing it would suck her up and dispose of her miles from where she was now. She shrugged uncertainly but knew that Jet wasn't going to let her off so easily. "What Faye?" He pressed.

Faye sighed as she looked at the wreckage and could only feel like it was somehow her fault. "Everything I do - I should have known this would happen. I just . . ." Faye trailed off not sure how to continue.

"Christ Faye. Look at you." Jet came to stand beside her and folded his arms. "You look like hell."

Faye shook her head and locked her eyes on the ground. "I know. I'm tired." She paused and when Jet didn't say anything she sighed. "You know what I'm tired of? I'm tired of being caught in the middle of this whole goddamn mess, tired of being a fucking pawn, and tired of this fucked up life!" Her voice that had grown in volume with each word suddenly took a hard dive earthward and all that was left behind was a bleak sounding whisper. "It would be so easy to run . . . everything I touch turns to shy, why should this part of my life be any different?"

The moment the words left her mouth Faye wished she could take them back. They sounded so bleak and frail that she couldn't believe that they came out of her own mouth. But the frenzied moment was short live as it appeared that Jet hadn't heard her. He slowly kneeled down beside the Bebop wreckage and picked up a piece of debris, slowly rotating it to get a look at all sides. Faye wasn't sure if she was more relieved or upset over the fact that he hadn't heard her. It was now more than ever that she needed somebody she could talk to, somebody she could rely on – the very thing that she was running from in the first place.

Faye dropped her gaze to the wreckage and frown, uncertain of what to say next, but Jet spoke for her, his bearish tone sending a chill down her spine. "Did saying that make you feel better?"

Faye felt her mouth drop open in shock. Jet hadn't looked up from the piece of debris that he was holding, but he slowly stood and turned in her direction. His face was pensive as he strode towards her, his movements easy and smooth, like he didn't have a care in the world; but his eyes were opaque like he wasn't seeing what was in front of him. Faye found it difficult to swallow and her voice was hoarse. "What?"  
Jet looked up at her raspy tone, steadying her heavy features and tossed the piece of debris off to the side. "You heard me." Faye opened her mouth to deny that she had said anything but Jet silenced anything she might have said with a hard stare. "Do you really believe that? Did saying that make you feel better?" There was a long silence between them and in the end Jet sighed, his hand coming back to rub his neck in uncertainty. "I know you, Faye. I know you're not the type of person to stick around long if you start to feel like people are accepting you, or if you feel like your past is catching up to you. Hell, you ran out on Spike and me plenty of times because you felt that we were getting too close."

Faye cleared her throat as she fought with herself to find a way to change the direction of the conversation but failed miserably. "What are you getting at Jet?"

Jet shook his head and a lopsided smile thickened his lips. "Spike and you are so alike it even amazes me sometimes." Jet chuckled dryly and looked back over the remains of the Bebop. "Look, what I'm 'getting at' Faye, is that you need to learn to accept the fact that you can rely on Spike and me, and that you don't have to run from us. There's no reason too." Jet paused and gave her another detached stare as he worked through his next words. "You wanted to run. That's the main reason why you dragged me down here today, isn't it? To see if your Redtail could fly?"

The question made Faye's stomach churn as she realized that she had been with the crew of the Bebop for much too long, but it was too late to change it. Too late to try and change the relationship that had formed so long ago. Somewhere along the way, during the short period of time she had spent with them, she had relented and finally gave in completely. She had allowed both of the men of the Bebop and Edward into her heart. "Fuck." Faye didn't know where she had gone wrong.

Jet allowed her to fight with herself for several seconds before he pressed on. "Now tell me, Faye. Did saying that make you feel less guilty about thinking about leaving? Did it make you feel better?"

Faye found that the honest answer was the only one she could manage after being picked apart by Jet's surprising perceptiveness. "No."

Jet nodded. "Didn't think so." Faye couldn't believe that Jet had seen passed her wall so easily. It made her feel slightly sick. She didn't understand how she had let her guard down and how she hadn't noticed that she was getting closer to them. Faye ran a hand through her hair and sighed, not sure what Jet wanted her to say now that he peeled her apart layer by layer. Jet let out a long whistle his eyes turning back to the Bebop with a small frown. "You know, I'd never thought I'd see the day where Faye Valentine looked so hopeless. You've been getting more and more like this everyday." Jet looked back over at Faye. "What happened to the tough no-shit woman act? You were always so brazen before, now it's like you've lost your edge."

Faye found that she couldn't help but agree with him. She hadn't been herself, not since things had started with the Lions, no not since Spike had come back. Faye hated to admit it, but Spike had more power over her than she cared to admit. Each day that she had to deal with his depression, with his outright anger, with everything that had plagued him the last few months, she was growing weary. Faye licked her lips feeling all the more dejected with these thoughts. "I'm running out of tough, Jet."

A grin split Jet's lips. "Nothing that a bit of alcohol can't cure." Faye couldn't help but match Jet's grin. Jet roughly rubbed his chin and inhaled deeply before he spoke again. "We all run out of it at some point. But we just have to gather what strength we have left and press on. Life isn't meant to be easy, Faye. But you can't always run away when things get tough, sometimes you have to bite the bullet."

Faye mutely nodded her head in agreement. No matter how much she wanted too, she couldn't force herself to run, not when she owed it to Reeves and the more she thought about it, owed it to the people who cared for her. "I know, Jet. I know." She would bite the bullet and confront Spike about being a distraction even though she knew that she was plunging blindly into a gunfight, with her finger on the trigger.

* * *

Faye wasn't sure how to approach the situation in front of her. She had seen them from the Hammerhead's window as they had flown over, and from Jet's exclamation she could only guess that he had the same thoughts as her. Spike and Luc were undoubtedly at each others throats and looked ready to kill. By the time they were within hearing distance of the house, the angry tones that reached their ears could only confirm that both men had just about enough of each other.

Faye silently conceded that she had at least a vague idea of what they two had been discussing, and by the sound of things it wasn't going the way Luc had hoped. Faye knew that Spike wouldn't just willingly give in to a man who could be considered an enemy. Just from looking at the deep scowl that was marring Spike's usually nonchalant face, Faye knew that he didn't even have the slightly inclination to lower his standards enough to even consider helping Luc.

As she and Jet came up Faye watched as Luc's face evolved from a hateful grimace to something akin to a leer as he spotted her. Faye felt her anger from the morning start to blossom anew as she remembered they way he had manhandled her.

"Ms. Valentine."Just the sound of his voice made Faye want to hit him. As she turned her gaze towards him she saw Spike stiffen and she hadthe feeling that things were going to get ugly pretty quickly. Luc took several steps toward her once again his eyes roving over her figure. "You're just in time! You know, I must say, you're attire this morning was so much more . . . enticing."

Faye sent Luc a sharp glance and had to clamp her jaw tightly to keep from saying anything. The last thing she needed at the moment was Spike to find out about this morning, she knew that it wouldn't help anything at the moment. Luc smirked at her when she didn't respond. "What? Didn't tell the boys?"

He made as if he was going to reach out and touch her but Faye held her hand out in front of her, eyes narrowing at his approach. "Don't touch me, Luc." Faye spat her fists balled at her sides as she struggled to keep her anger in check. Spike watched the exchange with narrowed eyes but didn't verbalize what he was thinking. Jet tensed as Luc made his way over to Faye and instead of listening to her, started to wrap his arms about her. Faye's eyes went wide with rage.

"Hey! Didn't you hear –" Jet's voice faltered as did his forward steps toward the pair as he watched Luc go stumbling back from a nasty jab to his ribcage. Jet blinked as Luc coughedin the aftermath of the blowand while Luc was struggling to compose himself, Faye connected again with a hard right hook to his jaw. Spike watched the scene withgreat pleasure ashepulled a cigarette out from the pack in his pocket and smirked at Jet's baffled expression.

Faye moved in on Luc's hunched form,her eyes burning with hatredand her hand poised to strike again. "Didn't telegraph those punches, now did I?" Faye snarled as Luc looked up at her, his hand coming up to rub his offending jaw. Luc chuckled dryly as he looked over to where Spike was eyeing him with a pleased expression.

"No, I don't believe you did." Luc answered before his eyes traveled back to her and slowly straightened. Faye watched the way his muscles tense and noted that slight shifting of his feet. In the next second he had lunged at her, his arm lashing out across the back of her neck as he tried to pull her into a choke hold. Faye swiveled about just as his fingers brushed her skin, just evading Luc's hooking elbow. As Luc stumbled passed her Faye rounded on him, her right hand finding the handle of her pistol as she sent a hard sweeping kick to the back of Luc's knees with enough force to send him sprawling to the ground.

Faye pulled the pistol for the holster as Luc fumbled to his knees and pressed the barrel against Luc temple as he made to stand. Faye frown at his stiff back. "I think you're attire would be much more . . . enticing if it was covered in your blood, wouldn't you agree?"

Luc didn't respond but raised his hands as he conceded to her. Faye smirked down at his hesitant form before she pulled the pistol away but as she raised her eyes to Spike, she realized why Luc hadn't come back with a witty come back. Spike's dark eyes were bearing into Luc's and despite the anger that lurked in their depths there was no denying the amusement gleaming there as well. Luc gave a frustrated sigh as he stood and brushed the dirt off the front of his pants."Spiegel's too protective of youto let us have a fun spar, Valentine."

Faye jolted at Luc's words and a glower creased her face at the thought of Spike acting protective of her. Faye didn't like the idea of being thought of as weak – especially in Spike's eyes. She had never expected him to be protective of her before and she sure as hell wasn't going to let it start now.

Spike raised an eyebrow and took several assertive steps forward like he was going to show Luc how protective he could be but Faye quickly intervened, shooting Spike a hard look. "Back off, Spike. He's just trying to get under your skin." Faye narrowed her eyes as she watched Luc wiggle his eyebrows at her. "Besides, I can take care of myself."

Faye almost flinched as Spike's dark eyes wandered over to hers, an odd yet fierce protective gleam harbored in their deaths made her breath catch in her throat. She had been hit with that look so much recently that she would have thought she would be prepared for it, yet here she was a shiver shooting up her spine as his eyes held her pinned where she stood.

Luc smirked and folded his arms across his chest. "See, Spiegel? She can handle her own in an unexpected situation. She's a big girl. Now that we've established that, how about you give me your answer; you can't use her as an excuse anymore!" Faye's eyes narrowed as she realized that Luc's attack on her had been planned because Spike didn't think she could take care of herself.

"An excuse?" Faye snapped turning her eyes to Spike and feeling all the heated emotions of only seconds ago fading with her anger. "You think I'm weak and you're using that as an excuse?"

Luc chuckled. "I told you Ms. Valentine, he has his standards. You're just another reason not to lower them. But it shouldn't matter to you since you've already agreed to help me."

Faye felt her eyebrow twitch as she struggled to keep from physically assaulting Luc again. Jet growled looking more confused and frustrated than ever. "Okay, enough is enough! Tell me what the hell is going on here!"

Luc laughed and lightly patted Jet on the back. "Jinni and I are planning a raid. We need a distraction and I thought you guys wouldn't mind helping us out. Of course, Mr. Red Dragon Leader has refused to give me a straight answer – just been giving me run around answers."

Jet sighed. "A raid? On the Lions Syndicate?"

Luc nodded. "Yeah, we're planning on bringing them down for good."

Jet scoffed a tight lipped smile thickening his lips. "You talk it's a simple thing to bring down a whole syndicate on your own."

All of Luc's amusement faded at Jet's words and his expression turned serious. "It will be if things go right. If we have a goddamn distraction, then it should be simple." Luc turned his eyes to Faye again and once again all she could see was Reeves outline, the same eyes almost pleading with her not to shoot him. Faye found herself looking away, not able to keep a steady gaze with a man that she killed or at least his image. Luc turned his eyes back to Jet. "That's where you guys come in." His eyes slide to where Spike was standing, and gave a dry, humorless laugh. "Pierre wouldn't pass up the opportunity to see the lovely Ms. Valentine again."

Spike pulled his cigarette out of his mouth, and threw the butt on the ground as the last vestiges of smoke seeped out of the corner of his mouth. "I bet he would." Spike's first words since they had arrived sounded oddly amused despite the scowl on his face. "And I bet you wouldn't pass up the opportunity to shoot him in the back while he's focused on her."

Luc's face became sarcastic and he stiffly rolled his shoulders. "You can't always play fair." His words were harsh and once again the image of Reeves crept up on Faye. Faye boldly turned her eyes to Luc and during Spike's words watched his face crease with anger but never totally break with the emotion.

Spike arched an eyebrow. "No, you can't. Especially considering how much of a coward you are. That's the reason you want us to be your distraction. You're not man enough to fight for against the people who oppose your beliefs face to face. You know, you've become exactly what Francois and Pierre want – just another one of their worse from the colonies."

Faye watched as Luc skeptically eyed Spike. "Trying to get under my skin, Spiegel? It will take more than a few meaningless words." Spike didn't reply and his face remained stoic.

Jet seeing an opening quickly jumped into the conversation. "What makes you think we'll help you?"

Luc didn't even bother to turn to Jet. "You will." His eyes caught Faye's eyes, and a half hearted smile thickened his lips. In that moment it was like Luc knew exactly what she was thinking for all his movements, all his facial features, and even the sincerity in his eyes were a phantom of Reeves. Guilt thickened Faye's throat and she swore that Luc's next words were truly coming from Reeves. "I know you will."

Faye blinked and found tears converging on her lower lid. Faye sighed and ran a hand through her hair, all uncertainty on the entire situation fading. Faye had to swallow several times before she could force the words through her emotion clogged throat. "I'll help you, but don't you dare think I'm doing it for you."

Jet couldn't keep the shock off his face. "Are you serious Faye?"

Faye knew that Jet would miss the tears that were in her eyes so she couldn't bring herself to lift his face to his. "I've never been more serious. Like you said I can't run from everything in my life and I can't run from this." Faye sighed and patted her pocket for a cigarette only to come up empty. "I have to do this. This is my repentance for Reeves."

Jet shook his head. "You've got to be shitting me." Faye didn't bother to acknowledge Jet's statement but turned her eyes to Spike who had dug into his pocket and was now offering her a cigarette that she had been looking for earlier. Faye grimly smiled as she took the cigarette from Spike and finally after realizing that she couldn't hide it forever, raised her eyes to meet Jet's.

Luc watched the scene and choked back his laughter. "Well, I'm glad to see that you're in agreement with me. All you have to do is convince Spiegel here -"

Spike interrupted his voice hard as he sparked his lighter for Faye. "No need." Spike waited until Faye had pulled away from the lighter before continuing. "I've already decided. You can fill me in on the details later." Spike sent another severe look in Luc's direction before turned away whistling, walking towards the house.

Luc's eyes narrowed at Spike's back and tilted his head to the side. "Well," his spoke slowly and softly. "Looks like you're getting off easy, Ms. Valentine." Luc cast an odd glance over at Jet before he turned to Faye with a simper. "You only have to convince metal man over there. You'll be briefed after dinner tonight – then we head out." Luc cast one last sly grin over in Jet's direction completely unaffected by Jet's sharp warning growl before he turned on his heel and started back toward the house.

"Tonight?" Faye yelled at his back which caused him to twist about to face them.

Luc nodded. "Strike when they're least expecting it – they're still searching for Pierre's unwilling whore. They wouldn't be expecting you to come back, especially since many believed you were –" Faye cut him off as she drew her gun and leveled it at him.

"I told you I that I'm not doing it for you. And don't think just because I regret killing your brother doesn't mean I'll regret killing you." Faye tightened her grip on her gun and raised her eyebrows challenging Luc to try her.

Luc held his hands up in his defense. "All right, don't get so pissy. I'm leaving." Luc gave her a wide smile. "By the way metal man, Jinni's been looking for you. It surprises me that a sweet lady like her could have such a bastard for a son."  
Faye cleared her throat. "Don't test my patience."

Her words were low and cold but made her point as Luc waved her off. His smile turned coy as he spoke. "I did enjoy our little meeting this morning, Ms. Valentine. . . unwilling whore indeed." Faye scowled as Luc turned about, completely ignoring her indignant shouts.

As Faye holster her gun she heard Jet's smug laugh. "Back to your normal self so quickly?"

Faye turned around to see Jet eyeing her skeptically, and all she could do was smile under his scrutiny. "No." Faye sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "Just biting the bullet."

Jet nodded and watched Luc turn the corner of the house, disappearing from view. "A distraction then? Why do I feel like this won't be so simple?" Jet grumbled before he stalked in the direction the two other men had taken and Faye was left alone for the first time that morning.

* * *

Faye turned her head to look in the direction where she knew the Lions Headquarters was. "A distraction." She sighed before following behind Jet who she knew was right. It couldn't be that simple. Not when Spike had agreed so easily. No, nothing would be simple, and Faye found that she couldn't be certain on what Spike was planning to do.

Faye entered the house through the kitchen. As she opened the door she was greeted by the welcoming aroma of Jinni's cooking and the old woman herself adorning a bright pink apron leaning over the stove. As Faye stepped into the room she was about to say hello when she caught sight of Jet ruffling through one of the cabinets in a similar apron muttering about having to help when he wasn't even living there.

Jet turned back to Jinni and the stove carrying a pot, completely oblivious to Faye standing in the doorway. They chatted quietly as the worked, Jet slowly spooning the soup-like contents into the pan he brought over, their tone low but serious as they worked. Faye watched them contently for a few more seconds before deciding that it would be best to leave them alone, yet before she could move Jinni had spotted her.

"Oh! My dear, Faye. I was wondering where you had gotten off too." Jinni's smile was wide and welcoming as she motioned her inside. Jet glanced over his shoulder at her and gave her a small nod before he turned back to whatever he was mixing in the pot. Jinni adjusted the straps on her apron before she gave a sideways glance at her son. "Jet was just helping me finish lunch. You must be famished since you didn't have any breakfast."

Faye gave Jinni a small smile and idly ran a hand through her hair. "I'm a little hungry." She admitted stepping closer to Jet to peer into his pot.

Jet snorted and rolled his eyes. "Since when are you ever just a 'little hungry?' You'd eat the goddamn dog food if it was the only thing on the ship. You're always more than just a 'little hungry.'"

Faye sharply elbowed Jet in the gut and backed away from the stove as Jet hunched over. Jinni gently reprimanded her son, but the small smile never faded from her lips.

"Says the man wearing the girlie apron. I always wondered where you picked up that little quirk, now I know." Faye teased as she moved out of the way to allow Jinni entrance to the cabinet behind her.

Jet mocked a laugh. "Don't put down my apron. Keep talking like that and we'll see if I cook for you anymore!" Jet quipped giving her a stern look.

Faye held up her hands in defeat and shook her head quickly conceding. "Hey, I never said it was bad thing . . . I just said it was a little quirk."

Jinni, who had remained silent through the entire exchanged, shot Jet a meaningful look before she turned her attention to Faye. "Faye dear? Do you think you could ask the children to go set the table and inform the two boys that lunch will be done in a minute?" Jinni asked over her shoulder as she clicked off the burner she had been using.

Faye nodded not missing the glance that she had given Jet. She had walked in on some private conversation between son and mother and though Jinni didn't want to be so blunt about asking for privacy she had basically told Faye with one look to her son that she was intruding. "Yeah, okay." Faye agreed, wondering what was so urgent.

Faye gave Jet a small smile as she left following the sounds of screaming children coming down the hall from the living room. But the sight that she saw in the family room killed her forward steps and any words that had been forming on her lips as she prepared to call the children. There was a small girl clinging to the material of Luc's pants softly crying gently stroked her hair in an attempt to calm the girl. Faye was slightly taken aback by the tender and genuine smile on his lips as he bent down to pick her up.

"Uncle Lu! Don't go, Uncle Lu!" The little girl wasn't any older than six or seven and her wide bluish eyes held nothing but sweet and pure innocence that Faye knew would diminish within a few years.

Luc gently pushed several strands of the girls tangled hair behind her ears before lightly tapping her on the nose playfully. "Hush now, Janelle. You have to be a big girl. You know I'll be back soon."

Janelle shook her head stubbornly and threw her tiny arms about his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. "Don't go, Uncle Lu!" Her words were muffled by both his shoulder and the tears that she couldn't hold back. Luc's smile turned a bit lofty as he pulled the girls smaller frame closer to him in a hug and struggled not to frown. "I won't be gone that long, Janelle. You just have to be a big girl and that means no crying. Don't I always keep my promises?" The little girl nodded into his shoulder but didn't speak.

As he said the words, Luc's eyes traveled over to where Faye stood in the doorway. The content and playful gleam that was trapped in his irises as he looked and held Janelle slowly faded into something much colder, much wearier as he took in Faye's presence.

When Luc tensed Janelle slowly pulled away from his shoulder and followed his gaze towards the doorway, and her big doe eyes immediately locked on to Faye. Once again Faye felt like she was intruding and simply turned her eyes away from the strange image before her. "Jinni says that lunch is ready and that the children should set the table." Faye's words sounded forced and uneasy, and she felt completely clueless of how to act around this new side of Luc.

Luc slowly set Janelle on the floor, and untangled her arms from about his neck. Janelle was reluctant to let go at first but after some prodding finally gave in. "Why don't you go and tell the others that lunch is ready, huh? I know you're hungry you little monster." Luc's words were accompanied by a small poke to the girls' stomach which caused her to giggle with delight. "Remember to behave yourself, Janelle. I don't want to hear anything bad from Grandma Ji!"

Janelle nodded in agreement and gave Luc a tiny wave goodbye. "Bye bye Uncle Lu!" Janelle giggled again as Luc beamed at her.

Luc slowly stood as Janelle wandered away and once again the coolness that she had seen only moments before were transfixed across his entire visage as he looked at her. Luc scoffed slightly as he took in her shocked expression. "Don't be so surprised."

Faye realized that her mouth was gaping and quickly shut it. Faye had known that there was a huge distance in understanding between Luc and her, but as she watched him now, saw how open he had been with the child and how quickly converted to anger with her, she understood the vastness of it; understood that Luc blamed her for his brother more than she ever realized. "I wasn't -"

Luc quickly interjected. "Right." Luc moved towards the front door and pulled his Lions communicator out of his pocket. As he opened the door he paused and sent her a withering look that Faye couldn't quite place. "Jinni will fill you in about tonight. Don't screw up."

Faye huffed, easily sliding into anger mode and back into their hate-hate relationship. "So you're just going to leave? Are you running? Because it sure looks like you are."

Faye had expected Luc to come back with one of his normal sarcastic replies, but all she got was a monotone response. "No, I'm not running. Somebody's got to prepare for the raid." He paused as if making some kind of weighty decision and nodded to himself before continuing. "There's more depending on you than you realize – so like I said - don't screw up." Before Faye could retort he had shut the door and was gone leaving her standing there speechless.

Faye could only shake herself out of her stupor when she heard one of the children scream down the hall. Faye had known that were more sides to Luc than she had seen but just seeing him actins so tender and so sweet with the girl blew her away. Especially after the way he had been treating her.

Faye tried to put the encounter out of her mind as she climbed the stairs and headed for Spike's room. Spike was another person that was at odds today. The fact that he so willingly agreed to be a distraction so quickly was unsettling. She could only wonder what he had in mind.

Faye knocked lightly on his door and felt her body tense up as Spike's muffled reply to enter reached her ears. She slowly pushed open the wood blocking her from him and her eyes immediately found his figure standing in the light of the window with a crumpled cigarette dangling form his lips.

Faye watched his back for several seconds not sure why she was having trouble finding her words. She had never been so unnerved by him before, but something about him standing in that light made her feel uneasy. But it wasn't a bad uneasy; it was an emotion that she hadn't felt very often, something that she had only been feeling since last night, since he had completely morphed back to us old sarcastic self.

When Faye didn't speak, Spike turned around to see who had come in and gave a lopsided smile when he saw it was her. "You all right, Faye?" His voice was the first truly inviting and warm one that she had heard all day. Everybody had had some agenda to talk to her today, but with Spike it was somehow different and it was definitely not something she expected to hear from Spike.

Faye stepped into the room and softly closed the door behind her. "I'm all right." She pushed some strands of hair behind her ear trying to keep her hands busy but ending up only looking as uneasy as she felt. "I just don't understand."

As Faye trailed off, Spike turned around completely. His face was shadowed by the light behind him, but Faye could still see the glint that was residing in his eyes more and more whenever he was around her. "Don't understand what?"

Faye shook her head, not completely sure of herself. "I just don't understand what's happening with you." Faye trailed off again trying to work up the courage to finish the question she had original intended to ask. With us. She didn't understand what was happening with them. Faye lifted her eyes to meet his again and under his scrutiny she found that she couldn't honestly finish the question. "What are you planning to do?"

His lopsided grin widened and he stubbed out his cigarette in the ash tray that sat beside the window before he turned back to her. His mood today was almost playful, only almost because there were hints of anger about his frame that seemed to radiate whenever Luc appeared. Spike took several steps forward to close some distance between them and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. "You don't want to know what's happening with me. You want to hear about us." Spike offered Faye the pack and simply shrugged at her refused before he shoved them back into his pocket without taking one either. "I won't lie to you." Spike stopped speaking; his soft mahogany eyes slowly trailed over her face and came to a stop at her bright green ones. "Walking away from you the day I went to Kill Vicious was probably the hardest thing I ever had to do. Worst part was, I didn't understand why; that's why I kept walking."

He shook his head before he continued. "I thought maybe that I felt guilty like Julia had. Only fascinated with someone who I knew loved me." A wry smile crossed his lips. "That's why Julia tried to find me, out of guilt. I fascinated her and I was just a thrill for her that came with the chance of getting caught by Vicious. She never loved me – at least not enough to run away with me."

Faye smiled grimly as she folded her arms across her chest knowing that she would probably regret speaking up later. "But that doesn't mean you didn't love her."

Spike nodded in agreement. "True. I agree with you, but the line between love and fascination is a very thin thing." He laughed softly and his eyes locked on hers again and she found that she couldn't look away. "For the longest time I thought I was only fascinated by you." He paused as a light wind passed through the curtains at his back and ruffled his green hair lightly.

Faye's eyes went wide as she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She found herself stammering long before she could tell what he was trying to tell her, unable to form a coherent sentence. "What-"

Spike chortled at her stuttering, it was a light and cheerful sound that Faye hadn't heard from him in a long time. "That fascination almost stopped me when you fired into the roof. But I still had my past to settle. But after that, all I could see was your damn face. It was so damn obvious and Pierre caught on right away. My uncertainty was part of the reason why I didn't rush back to the Bebop right away. I didn't understand . . . but Pierre did." Spike seemed to be lost in thought for a few seconds before he realized that Faye was still in front of him. "When I finally came back to the Bebop my first instinct was to hate you. Hate you for haunting me as you did."

Spike smiled ruefully. "But it seemed that no matter how hard I tried to rid myself of you, by angering you, by putting you down, you were always there. You and Julia. I finally got over her because of you, but I couldn't get around you. I didn't know how to handle it. I mean, I had just realized that the person I thought I had loved was just a fascination and the person who I thought was the fascination . . . well, I didn't know what to do."

Faye was speechless; she definitely had not been expecting this kind of confession when she had come up here today. This was the closest Spike had ever come to telling her he loved her, and she was surprised that she was able to keep from falling over. Spike studied her intently before continuing. "But now I know exactly what to do." Faye felt her stomach drop. There was something in his tone that told her that he was going to do something drastic. "You became involved with the Lions because of me and tonight, I'll put an end to it all." Faye had a flash of Spike when he was preparing to fight Vicious for the final time and a strong sense of dread swept over her.

"You're not doing anything without me, Spike."

There was a sharp glint in his eye that Faye didn't like. "Of course not. We're the distraction. Luc said that he had plans to finish what Reeves started . . . we just might have to do some improvising."

"Spike! Faye!" Jet's voice came from the hall but neither of them moved. "Lunch is ready!" Faye watched Spike for several uncertain seconds who just stared back at her.

Faye didn't bother to turn to the door as she answered Jet. "All right. We'll be right down."

Spike watched her; his head tilting slightly as if her were a confused puppy. "Faye, you never told me how you felt."

Faye would have laughed had it been anyone else at the moment, she was sure that how she felt was obvious, but at that moment looking into those somehow endearing eyes she couldn't laugh. "You're stupid if I have to tell you. You -" Faye was cut off as Spike suddenly closed the distance between them and claimed her lips, his hand sliding down her side and settling at the small of her back. Faye knew that if Spike hadn't been holding on to her, her knees would have buckled and gave out beneath her.

When they finally broke apart Spike brushed his hand lightly across her cheek. "Let's go." Faye dumbly nodded in agreement and followed Spike to the kitchen. But strangely her mind was not on the confession Spike had just given her, it was locked on what he thought would be improvising. And, she couldn't help but wonder if Luc's method of taking on the Lions Syndicate involved as many grenades as Reeves had.

_AN: Excuse typos, I typed this entire thing in one sitting and I know that I've made errors. I'm just sick of looking at the computer. Anyway, sorry it took so long to update. My professors are laying it on thick trying to stuff everything before finals. So forgive the late update. All right, I'm done. Take it easy people!_

Theevilashleyness: Sorry it took so long to update! It was a little more than a month. I hoped you like this chapter. Till next chapter!

Kyra: I have you to thank for the scene with the little girl. I got the idea when reading your e-mail about the children taping their hands. Nothing too exciting about this chapter but at least it's something. (smile) I seem to get a lot of ideas from you . . . so hey feel free to give me some more! (wink) Take it easy!

H to the iso: Thank you! I'm glad you like it. Hopefully things will get more action oriented in the next chapter and probably a lot more Faye/Spike interaction! Till next time!

Oyuki: I always like to keep people on their toes. I'm glad I'm keeping people interested in this story, too bad it's almost over. Hope you like this chapter! Take it easy!

Redeve: Thanks for the tips. I find that my repetitiveness comes from when I don't read over the chapter. Unfortunately I only looked over only half of this chapter as thoroughly as I would have liked, but I can't stare at the screen anymore. So sorry in case there's any repetitiveness in this chapter! Hope you enjoyed it! Take it easy!

Kim: I tried to give Luc a bit of a gentle side this chapter, make him more human. I know people hate Luc but I love him. He's one of my favorites to write. There will be more explanations in the remaining chapters or at least I hope their will be. I can't say that I'll clear everything up, but I will try. I get a little bit forgetful about some of the things I write. (smiles) Anyway, till next chapter! Take it easy!

Zottie: Wow, I'm bad for you if I make you read my chapter before you do homework. But that's exactly what I want! (Smile) I took your advice and didn't rush this chapter as much as I could have. Probably still not as good as it could be, but in the weeks to come I won't be getting much time to write so I figured this was better than nothing. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Can't wait to hear what you think! Take it easy!

Phoenix521: I felt that I had been leaving Jet out so I gave him two chapters to shine in. Now I need to find to work out a way to get Edward involved . . . but I don't think I can manage it. Oh well. The most important thing is the Faye/Spike interaction right? (smile) It makes me smile that you hate Luc so much! Did seeing his soft side change your opinion of him at all? Thanks for the review! Take it easy!

Madeline: Wow, it amazes me that I've been able to keep Spike in character. I didn't think I have been. I think he's really out of character in this chapter, but oh well. I like to call it artistic license. (smile) Anyway I hope you were as pleased with this chapter as you were with the last one! Till next time!

Celi: Thanks for reviewing! Reviews like yours make me update faster! Although, I can't really say this update was fast. Sorry for taking so long, but I hope you at least enjoyed this chapter! Till next time!

Death: I'm glad you like it! It pleases me to no end to know that people enjoy my work! Sorry it took so long to update! Thanks for the review! Till next time!

Goshikku Seirei: I went worked as fast as I could to get this chapter out. I hope you like this chapter as well! Thanks for the review! Take it easy!


	17. Chapter 15

_An: Excuse typos. Notes at bottom._

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop.

The Last Fragments of You

Alternative Therapy

Chapter Fifteen

Faye sighed and flicked some ash off the end of her cigarette. A new storm had started to brew anew before they had left earlier that night and as soon as they had landed as close as they dared to get to the Lions Headquarter, Spike had taken off to get a feel of their surroundings. As Faye and Jet had walked through the streets, Jet had spotted a bar that Faye vaguely remembered from the last time she had run passed it. The only difference was, the last time she had been soaking wet from a plunge in a pool after her interesting escape from the Lions Headquarters.

Faye couldn't stop the small smile that quirked across her lips as she took hold of her glass full of whiskey into her free hand. Maybe having a few drinks wasn't exactly the smartest thing to be doing right before a major fight with a syndicate, but despite how she tried to act she really didn't mind a shot of courage. Faye brought the liquid to her lips and took a healthy drink. Or maybe two.

"Damn, it's really coming down." Faye looked up as Jet slide into the stool next to her slightly wet and slipping his communicator back into his pocket. "Spike said he's on is way." Jet muttered as he tapped the counter to draw the bartender's attention. Faye nodded and quickly downed the rest of her whiskey. "I'd like a scotch and another whiskey for the lady." Jet told the bartender as he stopped in front of the pair. The bartender nodded and grabbed Faye's empty glass before walking away to fill their order.

Faye's eyebrow arched. "I'm a lady now, huh?"

Jet shrugged but didn't bother to reply. Faye's eyes turned towards the rain streaked window and found that she couldn't stop the thoughts of little Janelle from surfacing in her thoughts. The girls tear stained face, her little hands gripping Luc's shirt in desperation – that scene had twisted a nerve; a man that she had only thought of as cold and unforgiving has suddenly unveiled a new side, a side that left her wondering if she could go on hating him. Faye took another big swig of her whiskey and grimaced not sure if it was from the drink or the thought that had suddenly popped into her mind: she hadn't managed to keep hating Spike; no she had fallen in love with him.

What really bothered Faye was that the little fact put so much faith in the man; it astounded her. "Faye?" Jet voice jolted Faye from her thoughts as he placed a hand on her shoulder, his eyes gazing at her inquisitively. Faye blinked several times before she let out a little soft hum. "You all right?"

Faye swallowed roughly as the red-faced image of Janelle vanished as quickly as it had surfaced and managed a nod before she brought her cigarette up to her lips again for a nerve calming drag. "Y-yeah." Faye blew out smoke as she spoke and slowly turned her head towards Jet trying to pull off a confident look, knowing that Jet would easily see through her uneasiness. "I'm fine." It had been hard enough to convince Jet early that night that she was well enough to go on this trip; she definitely did not want the hassle of convincing him all over again.

Jet shifted in his stool and turned to get a better look at her. His steady brown eyes were boring into her as he tried to read her, the same way that he always tried to read her if he thought something was off. Faye took another drag off her slowly diminishing cigarette and turned her green gaze to Jet with a small smile. "Jet, if you don't stop worrying you won't only be losing your hair – it'll be turning gray too."

Jet lifted an eyebrow at her comment but he couldn't keep a smile off his face. "Watch it, Faye. You're on dangerous ground." Jet muttered as he picked up his scotch and took several sips.

Faye stubbed out the butt of her cigarette in a nearby ashtray and chuckled softly. "Somehow you threatening me, Jet, is very frightening." Faye looked up as the bartender started to draw close to them, her eyes narrowing in contemplation as she realized there was something about him that hit her the wrong way.

"No, I don't suppose I would be after the last few days you've had. . ." Jet trailed off lamely as he took another sip of his scotch. The bartender stopped in front of them, his gray eyes never leaving Faye's as he asked them if they would like anything else. Jet's back stiffened slightly at the man's words but he didn't say anything, instead opting for a small shake of his head.

With his dismissal, the bartender bowed his head to them and walked back down the end of the counter again to continue to wipe some of the glasses dry. A silence hung over the pair after the man's departure, neither of them knowing exactly what to say to the comment that Jet had left hanging. Both of them were saved however, as the bells above the door jangled announcing the entrance of a slightly wet and dripping Spike.

Faye cast a long glance over her shoulder at Spike as he approached, a lopsided grin thickening her lips as she saw the deep set scowl that was plastered across his hardened features as he stalked closer. His green hair was slicked down in smooth curls against his forehead and his mahogany eyes were alight with a misdirected anger. But despite all this, the soft curve of his shoulders and the smooth stride of his step made it seem like he didn't have a care in the world.

Jet looked up as Spike slide into the stool next to Faye and nodded to his long time partner. "Took you long enough, Spike." Jet's words were rough from his drink. Spike cast Jet a look out of the corner of his eyes and simply shrugged before he reached over to take Faye's glass of whiskey. Faye opened her mouth to protest but it fell on deaf ears as he drained the liquid with one easy flick of his wrist.

Faye watched for any sign of a grimace to cross his face as half a glass of whiskey slide down his throat but wasn't surprise when his face remained bland. Spike seemed to notice her stare for her turned towards her with a small nod. "Thanks." He muttered around the burn, his voice rough like Jet's. Faye rolled her eyes but couldn't find the strength at that moment to start a fight over something so trivial.

"What the hell took you so long, Spike?" Jet asked again after he downed the rest of his scotch. Spike raised an eyebrow in Jet's direction and shrugged once again, a coy all knowing smile stretching across his features.

"I came as soon as you called, dad." The amusement that laced Spike's tone made something in Faye's stomach clench. It was more than just amusement; there was anticipation in his tone as well and for Spike to have both those in his voice was never a good thing. It only meant that Spike was very pleased with something or in this case, was looking forward to raiding the Lions Syndicate.

"Spike." Jet sighed in exasperation at Spike's comment. When he saw Spike's face Jet shook his head realizing that he wasn't going to get a straight answer out of the lanky man. "I was starting to think you went and did something stupid." Jet grumbled under his breath.

Faye turned to face Jet and lightly placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jet, if you think about it, if Spike's name was defined in the dictionary, it would _mean_ stupid." Faye laughed and turned her laughing gaze back to Spike who was giving her an icy stare.

"Just like Faye means bitch." Spike muttered as he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket ignoring Faye's little indignant huff. Spike slowly took out his lighter from his front shirt pocket, his eyes sliding across the bar until they stopped when they fell upon the bartender's back. His back stiffened slightly and his eyebrow twitched as he studied the man. "I was checking out the grounds." Spike muttered after he lit up and had taken a long drag off his cigarette, though his eyes never strayed from the man behind the bar. "Half of the building is completely charred and is in need of a good paint job. Looks like Reeves did more than I gave him credit for."

Faye felt her face blanch with the comment and while she did her best to hide it she knew immediately that Jet had seen from the deep sigh that wracked his ribcage. "Faye." There was a crisp warning in his voice and Faye knew that if she couldn't look and sound steady when she next spoke then Jet was going to send her back to Ji's without a moment's hesitation. "Faye, you know you don't have to do this."

Faye took a deep breath and turned to face the older man, eyes hardening. "I told you once and I'll tell you again, Jet, I'm fine." Faye was slightly surprised by the strength her voice carried. "I want to do this. I wouldn't have come along if I felt uncomfortable." She gave a little huff-type laugh. "Hell, I would think you would know me well enough to know that if something doesn't sit well with me I don't hang around."

As she spoke her eyes traveled to Spike whose gaze had turned in her direction at Jet's comments. Those dark mahogany irises were narrowed in a calculating way in her direction yet his face remained impassive. For some reason, out of those dark, cool and steady orbs came the image of Janelle's small, uncertain and watery ones. The girl's red face pleading with Faye not to back away – not to run; Faye turned away from Spike and sighed. Even if she wanted to run, she knew she couldn't, at least, not when there were children out there who were as lost as she was. "I want to help."

Spike's eyebrow rose at her admission but he still didn't say anything. Jet just snorted and tilted back his head to down the rest of his scotch before he spoke again. "Do you really want to help . . . or are you just here to help put a new hole in Pierre?"

Spike chuckled at this statement as he leaned farther into the bar, his eyes once again sliding over to where the bartender was standing. Faye felt a slight jolt at the slightly angered and narrowed gaze that Spike's eyes held and took in the harsh line of his tightened back muscles. Something in his demeanor was making her nervous, something that hadn't been there only moments before. "Both Jet." Spike answered for Faye, his eyes never straying from the bartender who had now turned about and was coming towards them once again. "Faye was never one to take things quietly."

Jet nodded in agreement as he set his glass on the bar. "She is taking this one rather quietly." Jet turned his eyes towards Jet, his face completely serious. "That's why I'm worried."

The shuffling steps of the bartender arriving interrupted them before anyone had a chance to reply. "Would you like anything else?" The bartender lazily flipped his drying rag over his shoulder and while his voice was rich and pleasant sounding, the man looked like he would rather be some place else than serving them. Faye frowned as she saw the muscles in Spike's neck bunch up slightly. Anyone who didn't know him would think Spike was nothing if not nonchalant at that moment; the way he was leaning into the bar, his arms folded in front of him with his cigarette dangling precariously from his lips, made it seem like he couldn't be any more comfortable with the people and his surroundings. Of course, Faye did know him and something was definitely off.

"No. I think we're fine." Spike's voice held a sharp edge to it that only affirmed Faye's uneasy feelings. Spike and the bartender seemed to be caught in the middle of a big staring match, both of them not blinking and neither of them looking away. For several uneasy seconds there was a heavy silence before the bartender huffed a small laugh and finally turned to the other two an almost cynical smile rousing the corner of his lips upwards.

"Nothing for you?" Faye wasn't sure who the question was directed to but Jet seemed to pick up the same vibes that had passed between Spike and the bartender as Faye had.

"We're fine." Jet's gruff voice was low and edgy, all the teasing air gone leaving behind only confusion and impatience. The bartender looked gravely at Jet for several seconds before his eyes turned to Faye, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up.

Spike slowly reached up to pluck his cigarette from his lips, and as he stretched across the bar to stub the butt out in the ashtray the last bit of smoke floated up from the corner of his mouth and with a little help from Spike's lungs were blown into the bartenders face. "Waiting for something, barkeep?" Spike regarded the man with a raised eyebrow, his hard voice like ice.

"The lady hasn't answered." It was a simple response but something about it created a shiver that rode down Faye's back all the way to her tail bone. It was an unbidden movement that caused the bartenders' smile to widen even more.

Faye swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat and forced herself to meet the bartenders unnerving gaze. "We're fine."

Despite the cold reception he was receiving, the bartender didn't move away nor did his smile ever falter. "I see."

Spike shifted slightly in his seat as a cruel smirk formed on his lips. "You still go by Sweeney?"

Faye felt the blood freeze in her veins as she realized that everything she had been dreading up until this second was coming true. Spike's demeanor had been too icy for it not to be someone he knew and the fact that he greeted the man in such a cold way gave Faye no hope that this exchange would be a pleasant one.

The bartender, Sweeney, chuckled lightly and leaned forward so his elbows were resting on the bar, his dark eyes meeting Spike's harsh mismatched ones without a flinch. "Sweeney? Now that's a name I haven't gone by in a while."

Spike laughed humorlessly. "No, I wouldn't think you would. You wouldn't want to use a name that would associate you with the Dragons." Faye tensed as the words spilled across Spike's lips knowing that nothing good could come from this, especially with how Sweeney's seemed more than fairly amused by the entire situation.

Sweeney shrugged at Spike's statement not at all put off. "Yes, you could say I used to be associated with the Dragons, but that syndicate and I have recently had, shall we say, a parting of ways."

Spike snorted. "Meaning your nothing but a rat who willingly gave the Lions Dragon Intel and then followed Pierre when things got to hot for him to handle."

Sweeney leaned into the bar for support as he doubled up with laughter. Spike didn't seem to take any notice of Sweeney's behavior, and when Jet opened his mouth to say something he stopped short by a brief glance from Spike.

"You could say that too." Sweeney gasped when he had calmed down enough to answer. "But let's just say that I didn't like the Dragon's sudden change in management." Sweeney stressed out every syllable of the last word and made it clear that he was only thinking of Spike's new found role as the Red Dragons leader as he spoke.

Spike simply nodded showing no signs of any anger that would be there if anybody else would question his authority. "You must have had a real problem with it." Spike deadpanned and he finally shifted back in his stool so he was no longer leaning up against the bar. "I mean, to take the risk of always being hunted for abandonment . . . it must have really ticked you off."

"It did." Sweeney answered suddenly serious, the smile fading from his lips for the first time since the conversation began.

"And now that Pierre and Francois aren't getting their sought after promotions," Spike shook his head with a soft snort as if the situation was too out there to be true. "Well, that must make you worry." Spike's entire demeanor was becoming more and more laid back as the conversation continued, proceeding like Spike never even took a second glance at Sweeney. "No longer guaranteed protection, are you?" Spike drawled his lips curving into that aggravating smirk that Faye always wanted to cut off his face. "So that leaves you where, Sweeney?"

While Sweeney's smile was gone the sarcastic and snide tone in his voice remained every constant and strong. "Between a rock and a hard place, apparently . . . Spiegel."

Spike smirk became rather feral when he spoke next. "Apparently." Spike slowly stood, and leisurely stretched before he sighed. Without warning, Spike's right hand shot out and grabbed Sweeney by the collar of his shirt and pulled him forward, roughly slamming the man into the bar. Faye watched with shock as Spike practically hauled Sweeney off his feet so he was balanced precariously against the bar, both of his hands wrenched upwards and digging into Spike's hand trying to get himself loose. Spike only took more enjoyment from Sweeney's struggles. "Who did you contact, Sweeney?"

Sweeney grunted and snarled against Spike's hold and refused to answer his former leader. Jet sighed as he glanced at the man that was caught in Spike's grip and slowly stood up, fishing in his coat for his gun. "I take it we'll be having company?"

Spike vaguely nodded in Jet's direction as his hand curled even tighter into Sweeney's shirt. "It looks that way." There was no denying the low timber of anticipation that hung in Spike's otherwise steady but low voice. It appeared as if Spike had known all along that they were going to meet with the Lions sooner than both Jet and she could have guessed, and Spike was definitely looking forward to it.

Faye was about to tell Spike her thoughts but was interrupted as Sweeney started to laugh maddeningly, his entire face crunching up with amusement that only he felt. Spike's eyes narrowed at the unfounded giddiness and roughly slammed Sweeney into the bar again. "The hell you laughing at?"

Sweeney deranged cackling was clogged up with his next words. "It appears . . . that Pierre is excited . . . to see mademoiselle again."

As soon as the stammering words left Sweeney's mouth, something that sounded more like footsteps of several men more than raindrops against a window caught Faye's ears. She slowly turned her head about and could only gape at the horde of men who had gathered outside the bar, rain sleeked guns aimed in the direction of the bars occupants. "Ah, shit!" Jet swore as he realized that they had company as well. Everything happened in a blur. Sweeney's maddened laughter was seemingly amplified as Faye dove for the floor, hands coming up to cover her head as shards of glass clattered to floor about her as bullets caused the window pane to explode.

Faye's shoulder rammed into the pole of the stool she had been sitting on as she hit the floor. Her sharp cry of pain was drowned out by the sound of a thousand glass shards showering down about her accompanied by the reports of several pistols. Faye dared a glance up and caught Jet scrambling around the corner of the bar and while she couldn't see Spike or Sweeney, the fact that Sweeney's made laughter had abruptly ended shortly after she had hit the floor was answer enough for her to know what happened to him.

As bullets shattered the glasses above her head it became rather apparent to Faye that she couldn't stay out in the open much longer without some serious consequences. Shifting slightly she distantly heard Spike yelling her name and vaguely realized when he started to shout to Jet that they were going to lay down some cover fire for her. With this reassurance, Faye slowly reached down to her hip where her gun was securely holstered.

Without bothering to ask Faye if she was ready, Spike and Jet nodded to each other in agreement and suddenly leapt up from their hiding positions behind the bar. Faye swore viciously as bullets began to fly from all around her and without any time to heed her surroundings, she sprang to her feet, pulling her gun free in a smooth motion. Faye free hand gripped the edge of the bar as she cautiously jumped onto the glass and blood covered bar top while her other hand joined in the boys' barrage of bullets.

Faye slide across the bar top, eyes catching Spike's as she dropped to the floor and nearly landed on Sweeney's slumped body. Faye almost hesitated crouching down next to his body but a bullet shattering a bottle just to her right quickly changed her mind and she was treated to an up close and personal view of Sweeney's carcass. Several bullets had been lodged into his chest and stomach but the kill shot looked like it had been caught in the side of his temple. Faye grimaced at the sight and turned her head away and caught sight of Spike ducking back down behind the bar with an oddly happy smile.

Spike looked over towards her as soon as he felt her gaze. "No worse for wear, are you Faye?" Spike asked as one had ejected the empty clip from his gun and his other hand was fishing around in his pocket for a new one.

"Fuck you, Spike!" Faye shrieked as another bottle shattered above her head and showered her in some unknown liquor. "Shit." She muttered softly as she reached up to wipe her brow clean of the little beads of liquor that were rolling down her shirt and back.

Spike let out a low chuckle as he watched Faye pull shards of a whiskey bottle out of her hair and flung them towards the back wall. Faye felt her temper rise at the sound and wanted nothing more than to shoot the bastard in the toe. Spike apparently noticed the difference in her demeanor for he suddenly threw his hands up for some kind of defense. "Hey now, this isn't my fault. I didn't choose this bar." The amused lilt in his tone did nothing to comfort Faye. He was sounding way too damn happy for her liking.

Faye picked up a shard of glass that she had carelessly tossed beside her earlier and forcefully threw it at the insufferable man to her left. The piece of glass bounced harmlessly off Spike's shoulder, and unfortunately not giving the satisfaction of drawing blood. Faye's eyes darted up to Spike in anger. "No, you didn't choose this bar." Faye snarled bringing her gun up to her chest. "But tell me, is there _anybody_ in this goddamn _universe_ who doesn't have a fucking grudge against you?"

Spike simply shrugged the amused smile never fading from his lips as he slowly shifted closer to the end of the bar. Faye watched with interest as he propped himself on the balls of his feet, looking ready to spring up at any moment. Faye's anger faded as quickly as it had come. "Spike?" She questioned cautiously as he continued to shift farther away from her. "Spike!" Faye's yell went on deaf ears as Spike leapt up, his gun recoiling with the force of the bullet exploding from the barrel.

Jet whipped his head around in time to see Spike drop back down behind the bar as several new screams filled the room, undoubtedly targets that had fallen to his expert marksmanship. "Damn it, Spike! The fuck you think your doing?" Jet cursed at the lanky man as Spike shifted once again preparing to spring up again for another round.

The cocky smile on Spike's face widened at the words as he turned his head in his partners direction but his smile changed once his eyes fell on Faye, it became more endearing, more real, and slightly more roguish. "Improvising."

Jet baulked. "Improvising?" Spike didn't bother to answer, instead he sprang up again, gun leveling in the direction of the approaching danger and open fired. Everything happened slowly, Spike's gun hand panned across the room, and each time a man stepped forward to oppose him they found a bullet lodged into their chest or shoulder. As man by man fell, Spike simply walked out from behind the bar and into the fray without any hesitation. Faye lifted her head above the counter in time to see Spike jumping over the shattered remains of the window and disappearing into the rain washed night. "Damn it, Spike!" Jet's swearing went unheeded and for the first time that night Faye couldn't place how she felt.

Faye fell back to her place behind the bar as several bullets pierced the already mutilated wood wall behind the bar as several confused screams erupted from the remaining Frenchmen. Faye shot a quick glance in Jet's direction to find him peeking around the bar to see what was left of their supposed murderers. As she watched the older man she realized what she was going to have to do if she ever wanted to get Reeves forgiveness and Janelle's freedom. She was going to have to go out there and stop Francois and Pierre herself. As she brought her gun forward there was no doubt in her mind what she was going to do.

While Spike had followed through on her promise not to leave her behind, he had still in a sense left her like he did all those months ago when he went out to find out if he was truly "alive." And while she was willing to put up with it once her in her life, there was no way that she was going to let him get away with it for a second time.

She had come to be a distraction and while Spike always seemed to screw her up she wasn't going to give in that easily. For once in her life she wasn't going to allow Spike to push by her without a fight. She was going to make her own stand with or without him. Janelle and Reeves deserved it for one was as lost as her and the other . . . well the other was lost to the world.

With a growl Faye followed Jet's lead and peeked around her corner of the bar to see four Lion members slowly fanning out each carefully treading towards the bar. Faye's eyes narrowed as she watched their movement and with a nothing but a hope she launched out of her hiding place, gun aimed at the man closest to her and with a slight tightening of her index finger the trigger gave. As soon as the first bullet left the chamber, her gun swiveled to the next man only to have the trigger give beneath her finger once again. The two remaining men swirled about with surprised faces to face her, but only one ever got the chance to even think about firing at her as Jet dove out from hiding and took out the closest one to him.

As the second to last man fell, Faye's eyes caught the last standing member and with a more precise eye than she ever remembered having, took aim and fired. As Faye's body hit the floor the man stood trembling, blood rushing out from the new wound in his chest before he plummeted earthward, his eyes rolling back into his head.

Faye lay on the floor for several moments longer, gun still trained on the four new bodies that littered the floor next to the ones that Spike had left behind. With an almost surreal calmness, Faye rose to her feet and moved toward the center of the room, feet kicking and eyes examining each chest for any sign of rise or falling. Jet slowly stood as soon as he saw Faye checking the bodies and gently brushed the back of his pants off with a sigh. "Well, what's the verdict?" He questioned once Faye lowered her gun.

Faye's green eyes followed a path of blood to the base of Jet's feet as he stepped out from behind the bar. "Dead." Her reply was soft and calculating as she slowly stooped down to pick up one of the French men's guns. The sound of distant gunfire told both of them that Spike was indeed doing the job of a distraction, but both knew that that wouldn't last long. Spike was going to get into the Lions Headquarters one way or another; when Pierre had threatened Faye, he had unleashed Hell's wrath in the form of Spike Spiegel.

With a deep breath, Faye slowly stood and started to make her way to the front door when Jet's gruff voice stopped her. "Whoa, Faye. Where do you think you're going?" Faye turned back to face Jet and met with his stern features. She knew that it was going to be hard pressed to convince him to let her go; Jet hadn't been the most convincible guy today.

Faye ran a hand through her tangled hair and shook her head. "Somebody has to look after that damn lunkhead." At Jet's skeptical gaze Faye sighed and a feral smile crossed her lips. "Besides, I'm the fucking distraction, aren't I?"

Jet looked like he was going to retort but suddenly he paused as he studied Faye's face and seemed to realize that nothing he was going to say was going to change her mind. With a heavy sigh she softly spoke his next words. "Look, I know you don't usually listen to me, but if you're going to go after Pierre you might as well let Spike be your distraction." At the confusion that marred Faye's face Jet quickly explained what he meant. "I don't think it would be the smartest move right now to try and follow in Spike footsteps right now, at least not if you're trying to get into the building. Go out through the back."

Faye looked at Jet with uncertainty but couldn't stop the small but happy smile from spreading across her face. "So does that mean you're going to be my distraction, Jet?"

Jet growled but nodded as he looked towards the front door. "Don't get any ideas that I'll always be a pushover Faye." He stated while turning toward the shattered window pane. "I just know that if you don't get your way right now that you're going to be a pain in the ass to deal with." Jet looked up and saw Faye's wide smile and cursed. "Shit, don't give me that look." Jet rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Just . . . be careful."

Faye gave Jet a sincere smile. "Yeah, you too." And with those words Faye was running toward the back door and out of the bar.

_An: Scene Change - can't get lines in system! Sorry!_

Francois folded his hands in front of him as another explosion rocked the foundation of the building. He turned his weary eyes towards Pierre his face impassive and cool as his body quivered slightly. "It appears that we have another traitor in our midst." Pierre's eyes narrowed at the coolness and accusation in his half brother's voice and he struggled with himself not to react.

"Your point?" Pierre ground out as he turned to eye several of the guards who were shifting uneasily; they knew it was never a good thing when the brothers fought, somebody always ended up dead.

Francois shook his head and turned his gaze to the window. "Because of this little slip, I don't have any doubts that your friend, Sweeney, is no long among the living." Francois deadpanned like it didn't matter in the least to him. Pierre bristled and Francois could only laugh at his brother's so apparent emotions. "Oh, dear brother, did that hit a nerve?" Francois simply ignored Pierre's harsh glares. "You take too much emotion into relationships, be they friend _or_ family." Francois slowly stood up and crossed the room to where his brother was standing, his hand snaking about Pierre's shoulder and resting lightly there. "I would end your life if it suited me . . . without a moment hesitation. This world is the survival of the fittest, and forming bonds and friendships will get you nowhere in it."

Pierre closed his eyes trying to rein in his anger, his fists clenching into tight fists at his sides. "You make it sound like I don't know who the traitor is, _brother_."

Francois lifted an eyebrow. "Oh? What's this?" Francois turned to the two syndicate members that stood at attention behind his brother, a feral smile crossing his lips. "Making amends already? Scared that I'll kill you like the waste of tissue and sinew you truly are? Well, you have nothing to fear, _brother_, family comes before all else. Even if you are only a half blooded Frenchman, but . . . no one else here knows that little secret." Francois trailed off and looked at the two men who eyes were slowly widening. "Well, almost no one. Mais cela peut être corrigé facilement."

Pierre's angry face didn't even flinch as Francois slowly drew his gun and shot both guards without any scruples. Blood splattered across Pierre's face as he watched the life in both men's eyes fade but no remorse was held in his visage only increasing anger. His voice was highly venomous when he spoke next. "What good comes from shooting your own men?"

Francois turned to face Pierre with a lopsided smile. "What good comes from having a half blood brother who can't even carry out a simple assignment?" Francois moved back towards his desk but paused as an odd thought struck him. "What good comes from having a Lions ruler who isn't even fluent in his own native language?" Francois turned around his gun hanging loosely in his left hand. "I am ashamed to have a brother who calls himself French but can't even speak the language properly." Francois spat and without warning he swiftly brought the butt of his gun across Pierre's face with a sound crack.

Pierre slowly turned his gaze back towards his brother, a hang coming up to touch his bruised cheek and he licked the blood that was sprouting from his bleeding lip. Pierre smirked at the tang taste of blood and wiped his face clean with his hand. Francois turned away in disgust and muttered something in French before he turned back to his desk placing the gun on the desk. "Pierre." Francois voice was dipping dangerously close to sliding into French in his anger. "Don't ever force me to kill my men again. Vous devez être heureux que je sois si pardonnant."

Pierre's eyes narrowed but the rest of his face stayed emotionless. "Oui, je suis heureux, mais pas parce que vous pardonnez." Pierre snapped back sarcastically as another explosion rented the air. Pierre spat some blood from his mouth before he continued. "Half blood or not, the way I see things, you need me just as much as I need you. Mon français n'est pas parfait mais il y a des choses que je peux faire que ne vous pouvez pas."

Francois shifted his weight slightly, his eyebrow rising in hardly concealed shock at his brother's lashing out before a deep frown set over his features. "Just know that you would be foolish to go against me."

It was Pierre's turn to laugh and started to make his way towards the door stepping over the two guards bodies this time with slight hesitation. "Foolish of me? No, not foolish, I would be wise to go against you." Pierre threw a wild grin over his shoulder and turned back around to stare his brother down. He raised an eyebrow as Francois's hand twitched as if he were going to reach for his gun. "However," Pierre brought his hand up to wipe at his lip again and licked it off his finger. "You are . . . mon frère, ah, non ma famille. Et la famille vient premier, est cela pas vrai." Pierre couldn't stop the sarcasm falling off hi slips.

Francois found himself sputtering with anger unable to speak. Pierre laughed at his brother's silence and pulled open the door to step out into the hall but paused to call tauntingly over his shoulder. "Reeves Delmont has a brother. They joined the Lions at the same time, and well, as the two of us have just discovered from this little . . . _conversation_, families –_especially brothers_ – never turn their backs on one another." Pierre stepped out into the hall with a smug look over the fact that his brother's face was angry and tense. "Luc Delmont is our traitor." Pierre's snide smirked widened even more as he spoke next sarcasm practically dripping off his tongue. "Now, isn't this the part where you order me to go solve this little matter before it gets out of hand?"

_An: Just another scene change! (Sigh) _

Faye cursed as she stumbled forward as another explosion rented the air, the foundation of the Lions Headquarters rumbling with the explosions aftermath and causing Faye to barely remain on her feet. This was the second explosion she had heard since she had drawn near the building; the first has been when she was still searching for a way in on the deserted streets - deserted no doubt because of a certain lunkhead and the distant gunfire he was causing. As Faye was struggling to climb over some of the burnt debris to get inside, she was surprised to have her question from earlier that night answered when a window more than thirty stories up erupted in a blaze of fire and melted plaster; now Faye knew: Luc's method of taking on the Lions was indeed the same as Reeves.

Faye grasped part of what was left of the stairway beam and peered up towards the upper stories as a feeling of dread washed over her. She had been lucky so far, the few Lion members she had seen were either rushing towards the source of the fighting or staggering away in agony from a wound that either Spike or Luc had inflicted. But recently, as she continued to move upwards things had become much too quiet, and Faye felt a heavy tension in the air.

By the time she reached the seventeenth floor stairwell, a heavy smoke was filtering down from above. She was panting heavily from the climb and each forward step she took only caused the back of her calf muscles to ache. Faye's eyes wandered up around the corner as the scent of smoke filled her nostrils and she realized that she would have no choice but to find another route up as a large chunk of concrete and other debris clogged the path upwards.

Faye gingerly pulled open the door that lead to the seventeenth hall way, eyes glancing back and forth across the empty passage that was covered with loose papers and glass shards. Once Faye stepped into the hall she was surprised to find the hallway slowly filling up with a thick dense smoke and what she once thought was quiet turned out to be the exact opposite as confused shouting could be heard down the hall. Faye quickly shuffled down the hall, eyes alert and gun held up at her chest as she drew nearer to the noisier end of the hall.

A sudden gun report caused Faye to still and press her back up against the wall, eyes searching for the source of the blast. Soon another one followed and another shot. Faye suddenly realized that she wasn't the only intruder on this floor. With this thought in mind Faye crept closer to an the first hallway intersection and was going to peek around when a voice from behind caused her to freeze. "Arretez-vous!"

Faye's turned to see a young Frenchman slowly moving down the hall towards her with his gun leveled at her head. Faye growled and decided that her best chance would be to get the jump on him. With that thought on mind, Faye dashed around the corner and began to sprint headlong down the hallway only to suddenly put on the breaks as some of the smoke cleared to reveal a much larger group of Frenchmen coming her way. "Shit."

Her voice carried and with that single word the entire French mob was locked on her. Faye immediately twirled on her heel and began a headlong dash back towards the hallway she had just left. Gunshot started to ring out behind her as she hit the hallway intersection and had to back peddle to avoid ramming into the first Frenchman she had first left. The Frenchman reached out to grab her and in a moment of panic, Faye swung her gun upwards into the man's jaw giving her a few extra seconds to put some distance between them.

"Arretez!" The word rang in her ear again as Faye stumbled around the corner, away from the blocked stairwell and away from the group of men that were after her. Faye rammed her shoulder into the nearest door in a futile attempt to find another escape route. Faye whipped her head about to see the men closing in on her and soon began to pick up the pace again.

She was ending near the hall and running out of options when a strangely familiar ding caused Faye to glance up to see an elevator arrow lit up. Faye didn't stop to think as she suddenly whirled about, drew her gun level her eyes and opened fired on the men who were storming down on her. Cries and shouts of surprise was a result of Faye's sudden move, each blast of her gun causing the men to find some form of shelter but it was all too soon that her clip suddenly ran dry, the overpowering sound of empty clicking suddenly making her nervous.

Faye's eyes turned toward the closed elevator door and swallowed roughly, her finger finding and ramming the up button over and over again. "Come on, come on." By this time the French mob had realized that she was out and were once again grappling back to their feet. "Come on!"

Faye's shout was accompanied by the elevator's door slowly to reveal a surprised looking Frenchman. Faye smiled wickedly and lunged forward roughly grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt and bodily hauling him out of the well lighted box before entering herself. For several horrifying seconds, Faye didn't know what level to push, but an odd memory of Reeves popped in her head: "This place has sixty floors and you would have to make it down fifty-seven of them before you reached the lobby." Reeves rich and annoyingly foreign sounding voice rang in her ears and without second thought Faye pressed the button for the fifty-seventh floor, a heavy sigh escaping her lips as soon as the door closed.

There was a long and heavy lurch before the elevator began to rise; her ears popping with each floor. Though the ride was short it was strangely nerve wrecking; as they rose there was an obvious kink in the elevator's wheel and pulley system as the entire metal box back to quiver with the strain of the rise. For several terrifying seconds, Faye gripped the handle in back of her as the box gave an odd shutter and almost sent Faye falling on to the floor. There was an odd clicking sound as the elevators ascent began to slow, and when it finally came to a halt Faye feared for several long seconds that the door wouldn't open.

The door only slide halfway open, but it was enough to reveal that the entire floor looked like a war zone. Jamming a new clip into her gun, Faye gingerly shimmied through the small opening and couldn't contain the gasp as she surveyed the hall. A strong wind was rustling through the hall entering the building from the giant hole in the west wall, her feet were crunching over the mixed grit of plaster, glass and steel that littered the carpet and her ears were tingling with the heavy and odd silence that hung throughout the floor.

Faye shuffled through the debris, eyes and gun sweeping the area for any sign of life. She was at a loss of what to do until a desperate scream caught her ears from down the hall. Several loud gun reports followed it and before Faye realized what she was doing she was racing towards the sounds. Smoke was clouding the passage and it soon became apparent that the sounds were coming from behind the oddly familiar closed door at the end of the hall. It didn't take long for her to realize that it was the same place where she had been held captive only a few days before.

With a shaking hand, Faye gingerly eased the door open a crack, head cautiously poking in to peer into the smoke clouded room, her gun poised in front of her. Seeing no signs of immediate danger, Faye slowly pushed opened the door to reveal blood coating the walls in floor as if it were nothing more than paint. Faye carefully stepped into the blood soaked room and her eyes examining the contents of what was left of what looked to be a long fight. Her eyes followed the smeared paths of blood that seemed to dance around the room and showed the signs of two people struggling for dominance. Whatever the outcome had been, the winner had ended up empty several rounds of bullets into his opponent and then dragging the body off.

Faye dropped down to the floor next to the discarded bullet casings and was following the trail of the dragged body when a familiar voice rang out from behind her. "Faye! Look out!" Faye snapped into standing position but before she even knew what had happened, a large hard body crashed into her frame and sent her tumbling to the blood and debris covered floor just as a shot rang out from behind her.

Faye crashed roughly to the ground, a sharp cry of pain accompanying he shocked cry as her shoulder was sliced open by a loose piece of concrete and the wrist of her gun hand twisted beneath her at an odd angle causing her gun to clatter to the floor several feet away. Once she had stopped skidding, it had taken a moment for her to regain her senses and it was only then she realized that the person who had called her name and pushed her to the floor was still lying on top of her.

Faye forced her right eyes open and blinked around the dust that was clouding her vision. Shifting slightly so she had better leverage, she pushed the hard and obviously male body off her, and knew that the warmth that was dripping onto her left hand and pooling on her stomach was definitely not a good sign.

With a groan, Faye blink her vision clear once more before she took a good look at the man and almost gasped in shock at the person who was still sprawled, unconscious, above her. "Luc?" Her voice wavered as she tried to get a bearing on what had just happened, gently shaking him by the shoulder, eyes catching on the lower part of his back that was drenched thickly with blood. "Luc?" Faye voice cracked as her hand went down to the wound to examine the damage but a sharp chuckled froze her to her spot as she remember why Luc was in this position in the first place.

Faye growled as she raised her eyes to see the man who still had a gun leveled at her head, an odd and sickening look of merriment dancing in his eyes. "Well, it appears that we've caught our little rat." Francois's rich French voice was loud in the silence and despite the mess surrounding them; his steps towards her were confident and certain. "You see, we've had a little pest problem these last couple of months, and that most certainly wouldn't do."

His eyes dipped from Faye's rich green ones to Luc's head that was now being cradled in her lap, the same cocky smile that she had seen on Pierre's face before now boldly pronouncing itself. Faye's hand reached down to feel the pulse in Luc's next, and felt her chest tighten at it's slow and shallow rhythm. "Ah, Où sont mes manières. Bonjour, Mademoiselle Valentine. Comment avez-vous sur ce beau jour?"

_An: That's right people! I'm alive! Amazing isn't it? After all these months. (sigh) Sorry for such a long delay, I've been busy with school, work, and my brother's wedding. Well, mainly my brother's wedding. Anyway, I'm not completely thrilled with how this chapter came out, but I figure something is better than nothing, right? So let me know what you guys think of it. And just as a side note it is my belief that the next chapter will be the last. After more than a year of writing this thing I am almost finished! Wow. So as always I love reviews and who knows, if I get enough maybe I'll extend this story. (wink) Okay, I'm just begging now. We'll just say I've been review deprived! (smile) As always please excuse typos and such, I don't edit very well. And please forgive mistakes in French – I'm not that great at that either! Well all I'm done! Take it easy!_

_Mais cela peut être corrigé facilement - _But that can easily be corrected.

_Vous devez être heureux que je sois si pardonnant - _You should be happy that I am so for giving.

_Oui, je suis heureux, mais pas parce que vous pardonnez_. - Yes, I am happy, but not because you are forgiving.

_Mon français n'est pas parfait mais il y a des choses que je peux faire que ne vous pouvez pas_ - my french may not be perfect but there are still some things that I can do that you can't.

_mon frère, ah, non ma famille_. – my brother, ah no, my family.

_Et la famille vient premier, est cela pas vrai_ - And family comes first, isn't that true?

_Arretez-vous_ – Stop you! (Arretez stop)

_Ah, Où sont mes manières. Bonjour, Mademoiselle Valentine. Comment avez-vous sur ce beau jour_ - where are my manners? Good day Ms. Valetine, how are you on this beautiful day?

Kyra: Ah! Another chapter done. Did I surprise you with this coming out without any notice? I think I surprised myself. I've been working on it for the last two days and I can't truly say that I'm really happy but at least it's something. Anyway, this chapter feels a bit forced but that's all right, I think it got the point across right? And don't worry do you remember what I promised you all that time ago about Luc? Well I haven't forgotten. (smile) Take it easy!

Laure: I love wows! Sorry it took so long for me to update. It's been a couple of months but at least this is something – if not a very forced feeling chapter. Hope it's all right. Anyway. Till next time!

Phoenix521: Sorry it took me so long to update. People have probably forgotten all about this story, but that's all right, I intend to finish. So does this feel forced to you? Does to me. Oh well. Take it easy!

Genna: Thank you for the review! Sorry it has taken such a long time to update. Hopefully this meets up with the standard of the last couple of chapters! But to me it has a really forced feeling. Oh well. Till next time!

Zottie: Well, I definitely didn't rush this chapter, that's for sure . . . then again I kinda did. Rushed it these last two days to make sure it was done. Hm. It feels really I don't know out of style. I'm just got out of the mood for this story over the last couple of months and have been trying to find my groove again. Anyway. Hopefully this chapter turns out all right. Take it easy!

MiraiGurl: Thank you! You make me blush! I really hope that this story, after such a long time since I last updated, keeps people hooked. Well let me know what you think! Take it easy!

Haunted2insanity: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy my story! I hope this chapter lives up to the rest! Thanks for reading! Take it easy!


	18. Chapter 16

_An: Please excuse typos. Alas, the final chapter has arrived. Notes and translation at bottom.. Enjoy._

Disclaimer: I do not own Cowboy Bebop

The Last Fragments of You

Alternative Therapy

Chapter Sixteen

Faye cringed at the French, her back tensing at the sound rolling over her eardrums and tweaking her nerves. Faye found that despite the fact that she didn't understand the meaning behind the words, didn't lessen the offense that she took from just hearing the vile language that spilled from his lips. Francois's confident steps carried him to a halt a half step from Luc's decumbent form. His face was snarled up into malicious grin and the pistol gripped tightly in his right hand never faltered in its aim from her forehead.

Francois's dark eyes were pinned on Faye as he shifted to Luc's side, his grin becoming more demented looking by the second. The glare that Faye leveled in Francois's direction did little to stop him from lifting his foot from the floor and harshly slamming the pointed toe of his boot into Luc's torso. The sound of leather striking flesh was accompanied by Luc's body curling into itself, flinching away from the impact. While Luc's eyes remained tightly closed, there was an exhaust of air that filtered between clenched teeth that broke from his lips and fluttered raggedly over the Faye's thighs.

Francois snorted at the reaction, his eyes traveling down to the prone body that was cradled in Faye's lap and the knuckles on the hand that held the gun whitened as it tensed around the metal. Francois shifted his weight with obvious annoyance and glared down at the half-French man with disappointment. "Such a pity," his eyes slowly rose back towards Faye and he chuckled dryly. "He's still alive." The grin that had fluttered briefly away at this discovery returned full force. "From my experience, a family of rats is always hard to kill. Of course, you, mademoiselle, have been most helpful. You eliminated one on your own terms, and now have gotten another killed. I must say, you have my gratitude."

Anger sparked in a dull throb at the base of her skull. Quickly it spread; cracking through sinew and nerves at the nape of her neck and continued to filter down into her blood stream, following the intricate workings of her veins. It wasn't long before it knotted and hardened in her arteries, causing her entire frame to become rigid. For a few seconds, all Faye could hear was the rush of blood pounding in her ears before her anger exploded, causing her limbs to shiver and tremble with pure, unadulterated rage. Her slender, bloody fingers, which had only moments before had been softly pressing into the pasty skin at Luc's neck searching for a sign of life, left the shallowly pulsating section of flesh and marred a path of red to his shoulder where they curled and fisted into his sweat and blood dampened shirt.

For several obscured moments, all Faye could do was crouch there, shivering with unsuppressed rage, watching as Francois took a perverse pleasure out of her apparent distress. Images of Reeves final moments bombarded her as she stared down at the person who was his equal in looks, and was now dying because of a foolish mistake on her part. Luc and her had never been on what she called friendly terms, for she was damn sure that he held her solely responsible for the death of his brother and she couldn't really blame him. But, now, to have his blood donning the floor where she knelt, to have his life fading with each desperate breath because of _her_ caused a rage deeper than she had ever felt to stir in the depths of her stomach.

For one reason or another, the Delmont Brothers had become her benefactors, offering their lives for her when she knew that she didn't deserve such treatment. Faye stared down at Luc who was barely grasping onto life and couldn't help but wonder what had gone through his mind as he dove on her. Why had a man that hated her as much as he had, taken a bullet for her? Faye lifted her eyes back to Francois only to note that his twisted grin had yet to leave his lips. Faye slowly unclenched her fist from Luc's shirt and gently set his head onto the harsh floor, before she stood with ever intention of wiping it off his face.

Her blood covered clothing shifted uncomfortably against the skin of her abdomen, her joints snapped in protest from having sat for so long and her eyes narrowed on the man who still held his pistol leveled at her head, the promise of painful repercussions for his words and actions glinting darkly in her irises.

"I don't deserve your gratitude just yet, Fanny. You see, there's only really one rat – and I've failed to kill it yet." Her voice was clipped and low as she stepped beyond Luc, her steps smooth and determined. Her movements issued her challenge to Francois long before her words did. "But, if Luc is a rat, like your suggest, then you were right. You're not dealing with just one or two rats. I believe you have an infestation on your hands."

Francois's eyes were alight with some unnamed emotion; a feral smile warping his wrinkled visage so, for the first time, Faye could see an imprint of his relation to Pierre. "Ah, mademoiselle," despite the amusement in his demeanor, the sharp tone of his voice told Faye that he was anything but. "You make me smile. However, I must admit, these last few days I have grown quite weary of your antics. I would suggest you refrain from speaking unless you can back up your words." Faye's face remained neutral at the taunting and instead of responding, slowly slid into a fighting position, muscles tense and poised to strike the moment her opponent moved. Francois's eyes widened a fraction but his surprise disappeared as quickly as it had come. "I will warn you, mademoiselle, I am through playing games."

A heavy silence followed and Francois, with his pistol still drawn, waited for Faye to back down, who had no intention of doing so. With a snort, Francois lowered his pistol and tucked it away into the recesses of his jacket. Francois stood there shaking his head disbelievingly before he sighed. It was his next movements that made Faye realized why it was he, and not the younger Pierre, who ruled over the Lions Syndicate. With smoothness that Faye wouldn't have thought he possessed, Francois dropped his weight onto the balls of his feet and suddenly lunged forward. Faye blinked with barely concealed surprised and barely leaned back in time to avoid Francois's left leg that had abruptly kicked out in a swift arc toward her abdomen.

Faye jostled back several steps, trying to maintain her balance as the heel of Francois's boot caught the hem of her shirt and had pulled her unexpectedly sideways. Before Faye could regain her composure, Francois had settled his weight firmly on both feet and was coming at her again. Faye held her breath and focused her efforts to avoid the sharp elbow that was sent at her jugular. Faye thanked the gods for her good instinct and reflexes, her back bending backwards and her knees buckling making her sag earthwards, barely avoiding the nasty blow.

In the short time it took Francois to come out of his spin from his failed blow, Faye, planting her right hand on the floor for leverage, twisted her torso to send her left leg sweeping towards Francois's knees. With the movement gaining momentum, Faye braced both hands against the floor and prepared her oddly angled body for an impact that never came. Faye watched with distaste as Francois spun out of her foots path and several feet away, giving her time to use the energy of her pivot to thrust her upright, back onto her feet. Francois chuckled gleefully and Faye could see the joy in his eyes that somehow reminded her of a child seeing snow for the first time. Her fists clenched and unclenched at her sides, the self satisfied smile that was stretched across Francois' face causing her limbs to shiver again. For the second time that evening, Faye felt like she was staring into Pierre's perverse face instead of Francois's. However, unlike Pierre, Francois felt no need to exchange taunts and was quickly advancing on her.

Faye threw up her right arm in time to block a hard left jab but failed to notice the quick right hook the followed in its wake until it was too late. Despite the hard bend of her waist in an attempt to evade it, his right fist cuffed her jaw and sent her stumbling into the doorframe of the room. Her feet shuffled beneath her, searching for purchase on the gritty, uneven floor just before she slammed into the wood of the doorframe. Faye barely had time to blink before he was there again with a harsh jab to her gut.

His quick and sharp movement belied his age as he pulled back to send another blow to her midsection but Faye rolled into the hallway to put some distance between her and his damaging blows. Francois was quick to follow her, and for the next few seconds all Faye could do was pivot and swing her weight about to avoid Francois's punches that had lost nothing with age, while she searched for an opening to retaliate. When Faye had challenged Francois, she had not expected the fight to be anything like it was turning out.

Faye caught another punch to her jaw when she tried to swing about to retaliate, she received a knee to her stomach. Faye fumbled to keep her balance but teetered into the wall despite any action that she might have taken, and as she briefly rested there realized that the split in her lip had not only peeled open but widened under the unrelenting pressure of her opponents knuckles.

Francois watched her just out of striking distance, casually shifting his weight like he had just happened upon her in the hall and had not moments ago been fighting her. Faye brought the back of her wrist up to wipe the blood off her chin and wearily eyed Francois as he chuckled again. "I fail to see what Pierre finds so fascinating about you. Strong willed though you may be, I can not imagine that you actually made a decent living by being a bounty hunter."

His smile soon thinned and completely faded when Faye failed to respond to his taunting. Instead, a listless smile of her own crept onto the curve of her lips and Faye abruptly pushed her sagging frame off the wall, moving and brimming with a confidence that had not been there a second ago. "My dear Fanny, if you fail to see how I survived as a bounty hunter, then you have failed to see the most important asset of being a successful bounty hunter. It's called intelligence and it's something that you are clearly lacking." Faye watched in cool calculation as Francois shifted his weight, anger present in every ripple of sinew.

Once Faye realized that she was no match for Francois physically, Faye had taken a back seat in the fight and had allowed herself to go on the defense. While Faye was never one to let someone beat her so readily, she realized that the only way she had any chance of winning was trying to learn the Lions Leaders movements. It was only when she was given a few seconds to go over the fight in her mind did she piece together the puzzle that was Francois and discovered that he was an easy read.

There were several tense seconds before Francois lashed out. A strong right hook that was intended for her jaw skimmed passed Faye's left shoulder as she pulled right having seen a little clinch in his shoulder before he performed the blow. Faye was left with an opening. Faye's knees gave slightly as she put pressure onto the balls of her feet and pivoted forcefully into Francois's unsuspecting body. With a liquid roll of her shoulder, she raised her elbow and slammed it viciously into the man's jaw, sending him stumbling back. Francois didn't have time to recover as Faye pivoted to face him and with the force of anger behind her, belted him with an uppercut that had him crashing into the wall. Francois made a harsh gargling nose before he sagged earthwards, eyes blinking trying to blink the world back into focus. Shock was apparent on his face while he blinked almost blindly up at Faye from his position on the ground.

But his shock was short lived. The moment Faye came to a stop in front of him he was moving again. In a move similar to the one that Faye had tried on him earlier, he sent his right leg sweeping out towards her ankles. Faye cursed and was thrown off balance when his leg caught her as she tried to roll away. Her moment of instability gave Francois the chance to flip to his feet and charge her. Faye could only growl with annoyance and react instinctively, her arms drawing up to her chest and forcing her aching body into another tight spin. This time, however, her right foot left the ground in a wide arc, and positioned herself to send a sharp roundhouse kick towards Francois's chest. Francois, in the midst of his angry charge, had hastily thrown a right hook that slid over nothing but air and was rewarded with Faye's foot colliding painfully with his chest cavity.

The blow threw them both off balance. Faye found her right knee buckling beneath the sudden pressure the blow had caused and was sinking to the floor in a position that welcomed nothing but pain. Relying on her aptitude alone, she planted her hand firmly on the floor and, despite the pain that shot through her wrist from when Luc had pushed her down, launched herself into a flip. Faye staggered to stay upright and twirled about to see that Francois had come out much worse than her.

The air had been forced from Francois's lungs long before he had clipped into the wall and teetered against the warm wood of the wall before he sunk to the floor. Faye silently watched him gather his thoughts, eyes slowly opening to stare up at her from his position he had only just left.

Faye took a deep breath when she saw that Francois was in no hurry to get back up. She took several steps closer to him and studied his anger evident face, a malicious smile like the one that Francois had worn earlier tugging at the corners of her mouth when she saw that his lips were now bloody as her own. Noticing her evaluation of him, Francois scowled and hoisted himself to his feet. Faye watched his stiff and awkward movements, and noted his right hand gingerly pressing into his ribs where her foot had connected. She had a good idea that the blow had left him with a few broken ribs.

"So the little girl has some bite to her." Francois muttered, his hand dropping from his chest and receding into the flap of his jacket. Faye was almost certain he was going to draw his pistol but blinked with some uneasiness when a knife appeared instead. He gave her a flashy grin of pink teeth and idly prodded the index finger of his left hand with the sharp point of the knife as he stared at her. "It looks like I'll have to even things out a little bit." Faye swallowed roughly and drew in a deep breath as he raised the blade in her direction. Avoiding his punches alone had strained her reflexes. She watched him carefully adjust his grip on the handle of the blade and slunk back into her defensive position. Faye was certain that avoiding Francois blows now was going to test and challenge every skill she had.

* * *

Spike threw his back against the doorway of the blocked stairwell and quickly reloaded while bullets from Lions guards pelted the walls around him. He turned to eye the stairs upward with a grimace. He had been traveling up now for several flights and he was now clearly seeing the extent of damage done by Reeves and Faye. With a deep sigh, he pulled out one of the grenades he had taken off a dead body several floors below and rushed into the hall, bending forward to avoid being peppered by hot lead balls that whistled passed his ears. He fired blindly at the source of the bullet congestion down the hall before he yanked the pin loose from the grenade with his teeth and tossed it bowling ball style towards his opponents.

Spike fired several more rounds towards his next destination before he rolled for safety of the next open doorway. A lone bullet pierced through the fabric of his forearm before he had yanked the door open and settled behind the shelter it offered. As his grenade exploded and shook the base of the foundation, the faint click of a gun made Spike realized that he was not alone in the small conference room he had taken refuge in. He ducked and swiveled, leveling his gun in the direction of the sound and pulled the trigger. There were several screams of terror that caused Spike's ears to perk up as he dove for the ground, and fired towards another figure that was rushing towards him. Both Lions guards fell swiftly, but Spike barely had time to watch as he sprang upright and pivoted in time with his gun raised to come face to face with the barrel of a pistol jutting up against his throat.

Both Spike and the gunman froze, fingers trembling over the trigger of their guns. Spike stared down at the person with a crooked smile and shook his head. "This situation seems familiar enough." For the briefest of seconds his eyes trailed over to the corner of the room where four children where huddled watching; the source of the terrified screams earlier.

"Yes, this is the second time you've held a gun to my head and threatened things that I hold dear." Jinni Black firmly held her ground, gun not wavering from Spike's icy stare. Spike brought his eyes back to Jinni and studied her. The older woman looked like she was as lost as the children she was guarding. She was heaving in great breaths, and while her hold on the gun was steady and her body unrelenting, Spike could tell by the way her eyes were quivering that she doubted her abilities to keep the children out of harm.

Spike let Jinni's snide comment slide, and while not taking his finger off the trigger of his gun, lowered it to his side. Spike took a quick glance about the room and noted from where the two dead Lions members were positioned in contrast to where Jinni had been, he had happened upon the room just in time to save the woman's life. Spike couldn't stop the grin that spread across his features at the thought. With how much this woman hated him, he couldn't believe that she was actually happy to be in his debt in any way. Spike took several steps back toward the hallway and gave the gun that Jinni had leveled in his direction a pointed look before he spoke. "What are you doing here, Granny?"

Spike took a peek around the corner of the door and peered into the charred hallway, not completely trusting that it had killed all the guards at the end of the hall. He heard Jinni huff indignantly and he threw a hard look in her direction. Her gun had been lowered slightly but she didn't dare turn her eyes in his direction. "Why should I answer a piece of Red Dragon trash like you?"

There was a gasp of what could only be labeled as excitement from the oldest kid. "Red Dragon? You're a Red Dragon?" The boys' happy tone drew Spike's eyes to where the kids huddled and for the first time since entering the room, he got a good look at them. The youngest couldn't have been older than seven while the oldest who was now staring at him with avid fascination wasn't older than fifteen.

Spike pointedly ignored the boys' outburst and brought his eyes back to Jinni. "Former Red Dragon, Granny. Haven't we already been over this?" Spike turned his focus on the hall way. "And shouldn't you be more polite to the guy who just saved your lives?"

Apparently Jinni couldn't think of any good come backs to that comment. "What do you think I'm doing here? I would think these children being with me would make if fairly obvious." Spike chuckled at her words but despite the carefree sound his body was tensing. He could hear footfalls gathering at the end of the hall.

Spike slowly brought his gun up to his chest. "You know what I meant, Granny. Where's the pretty French boy? Your charges and you should have been out of this hell hole a long time ago with that asshole as your escort."

It must have been the way his body tensed for despite his harsh remarks, Jinni didn't come back with an angry retort, and instead she answered his seriously. "Luc had another mission before he came to help us."  
When she didn't continue Spike felt a tinge of annoyance. "I know that's not the entire story, Granny and I hate to break it to you, but you don't have all day." As soon as the words had left his lips, Spike threw himself into the hall and fired several shots until the chamber clicked empty towards the approaching guards before swiveling back to the safety of the wooden door. Frantically digging in his pocket for another clip he turned his eyes to Jinni who was motioning the children closer to her. "Speak, Granny." Spike commanded, throwing himself out into the hall again and firing.

Jinni brought her gun up again and growled. "Luc was going to destroy the chips! Ever since he heard the reason behind the death of his brother, he's made it his new mission to destroy them and the people that created them. I told him from the beginning that it was foolish to try it now, that it was too heavily guarded, but he didn't listen."

Spike slammed against the wall of the conference room as more bullets ripped into the door and caused some of the wood to shatter. "I always knew he was a dumb fuck." Spike muttered gazing intently on the children surrounding Ji. His eyes focused in on the eldest child. "Hey boy," he called over to the kid who seemed to perk up when he realized that Spike was addressing him. "You know how to fire a gun?"

The boy nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, sir!"

Spike didn't like the way the kid seemed so eager to please, but he waved it off as quickly as the sensation had come and nodded toward a weapon near one of the Lions members corpses. "Go get that gun."

The boy nodded and quickly went to pick it up while Jinni started to throw a fit. "What do you think you're doing? Do you think just because he's a lost soul and you're a member of a syndicate that it gives you the right to order him around?" She turned to the boy who was coming back to her and snapped at him. "Put that gun down!"

Spike quickly intervened. "The way I see it Granny, him firing that weapon is the only way you're going to make it out of this building without any casualties to your number." Jinni sputtered and pointed to the hall but Spike cut off any words that might have formed. "At least, that will be the case if he makes it to the stairwell at the end of the hall."

Jinni turned an evil eye on Spike. "The way you see it? The stairwell? How are we supposed to get to that stairwell? The way I see it we're pinned in here! There is no way we could make it to the stairwell with that . . . _situation_ in the hall!" Jinni was ruffled. It obviously had been a while since she had taken this much mouth from anyone.

Spike gave Jinni an amused smile. "Looks like you're going to have to trust me to deal with the situation then, aren't you?" Jinni huffed again and Spike couldn't stop the chuckle that rose to his lips. Far be it from Jet's old lady to ever trust a member of a syndicate that took her son's arm. However his amusement was short lived. The number in the hall was steadily increasing with each minute. "You don't have time to argue with me on this, Granny. As much as you don't like the idea, you have any other choice."

Jinni mumbled under her breath and Spike could swear he heard something along the lines of "Goddamn Dragon filth" but didn't comment on it, knowing that he was the only person who would probably ever hear those words come from the sweet old lady's mouth. But despite this, Jinni seemed to give in. "Fine." Her voice was short and clipped. "Just because I'm letting you help, doesn't mean I trust you."

"Of course," Spike felt his eyes roll at the woman's stubbornness but felt his grin widen never the less. He turned his dark eyes to the boy who was watching him closely and gave the boy and pointed look. "Hey boy, these kids' lives are your responsibility. Don't hesitate, and shoot to kill. Otherwise you'll let them down." Spike could tell from the way the boy stood that he was scared but it was the firm nod that gave Spike hope that the boy would act bravely. Spike turned his attention back to the hall again and drew in a deep breath. "See you on the outside, Granny."

Spike didn't wait for her reply. The moment his feet his the floor of the hallway, the barrel of his gun aimed at several Lion members and within the first few strides had relocated several bullets from his clip into the warm flesh of their bodies with the simple give of a trigger. Amidst the chaos he was creating he heard Jinni's sharp cry of "Go" from behind him and the thud of several pairs of feet sprinting the other direction, but he didn't pause to look. Instead, he came side by side with a French man, managed to bring his hand up in time to stop the man's gun from planting a bullet in his stomach and easily counter the attack by forcing a bullet through the man's jugular.

Spike was a possessed man. Everything slid into slow motion as he did his dance down the hall. Ducking, dodging and felling each Lion member that dared cross his path; he had become unstoppable. As his clip ran dry, Spike slide into an intersecting hallway that was charred from his earlier grenade and where several Lions members were hiding. Their lives quickly ended when Spike approached them; necks snapping under the pressure of Spike's fingers. It was only when Spike settled himself against the wall of the hall and hastily ejected his empty gun clip did he realize how eerily quiet it had become. Spike reached into the recesses of his jacket for another clip and vaguely noted that he was done to his last one. Bringing the clip out he idly slammed it into the gun and stepped out from his hiding place, gun scanning the hall for enemies.

The hallway was empty except for the few bodies that littered the floor riddled with his bullets. Gingerly stepping father out, Spike's gun swept the area idly but what had his focus was not the lifeless corridor but the shiny golden doors at the end of the hall and the flashing numbers that were blinking in a silent countdown. Spike froze as the elevator doors gave a sharp 'ding' in the quiet din of the hall right before his instincts flared. As the golden doors peeled apart, Spike found himself diving back for the safety of the hall he had just left as a barrage of bullets began to disperse into the hall long before the doors had fully opened.

Spike cursed as bullets splintered into the wood behind his back, causing pieces of plaster and shards of wood to rain down over his head as he straightened back to standing position. The metallic discharge of the machine gun spurt of bullets didn't last long, but it was enough for the person in the elevator to find safety behind a pillar. Spike indolently swept pieces of roof and wall out of his hair as the person's laughter echoed down the hall to his ears.

"Well, good evening Monsieur Spiegel." Pierre's mocking tone made Spike smirk. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

Spike quickly checked to make sure his gun was in functioning order and swung around the edge of the wall, eyes scanning for Pierre. The next few seconds was a blur of bullets. Pierre had pulled out of his hiding spot as soon as Spike entered the hall and began to wildly fire as Spike dashed towards a pillar several yards up. Spike returned fire, hearing several bullets whistling by his form and watched with satisfaction as Pierre flinched as one of his bullets found its mark. Spike twirled as he reached the pillar, back slamming into the porcelain that decorated the wood, and listening to Pierre's hiss of pain. Spike's smirk widened. "More than you know." Spike pitched his voice so he was sure Pierre could hear him. Spike decided to add insult to injury. "You were always a bad shot, Pierre!"

"And you were always too gun-ho about everything, Spiegel!" The anger in Pierre's voice was evident and it didn't surprise Spike all that much when Pierre suddenly opened fired on his position, idiotically wasting bullets. The shots died as quickly as they came and Spike could hear Pierre's ragged breathing from where he stood.

"Temper, temper. Still haven't learned how to keep your anger in check?" Spike jabbed again but was disappointed when Pierre didn't retaliate again. When silence followed, Spike took a chance to creep out into the hallway again and get a closer position to Pierre. Spike knew his bullets were going to last long, if he wanted any chance to win this battle he needed to be closer to Pierre. As Spike made his way down the hall, Pierre suddenly pivoted out of his hiding position and fired again. Spike cursed as a bullet grazed his shoulder but ignored the pain, cutting across the hall and throwing his weight into the wood of a door.

Spike stumbled into the room and with a quick scan of his eyes and gun found it to be empty. Pierre laughed richly and Spike had no doubt that Pierre knew that he had finally hit his target. "That was rather bold of you, Spiegel. Of course, you were always one to make rash decisions and that lead to people dying."

"Being bold is better than being a coward." Spike snapped back and checked his gun clip. "My decisions might have gotten people killed, but at least I didn't sacrifice others. Take a look at what happened to Sweeney. He followed your orders and ended up forfeiting his life." Spike slammed his clip back into his gun and turned back to the hall. He had two shots to close the distance to Pierre.

"That's quite a statement coming from you Spiegel!" There was a rough tilt to Pierre's tone that told Spike he had hit a nerve. Spike slowly rounded the edge of the door, gun leveled in Pierre's direction. Before him was a stretch of hall where his only chance of safety was the door that led to the stairwell, and several yards beyond that hunched Pierre. Spike moved slowly, listening to the lilt in Pierre's tone to judge when the man would jump out and fight. "You speak of me sacrificing Sweeney, but aren't you doing the same thing by sending Mademoiselle Valentine to the higher floors before you?"

Pierre's voice had risen in volume and at the end of his sentence he had jumped out of hiding, and began to fire. Spike should have been prepared, but the mention of Faye was such a shock that his limbs frozen for half a second, and he paid for his inability to act. A bullet pierced through his shoulder and sent him shifting back for half a moment before pain erupted throughout his system. Then he was moving.

His gun recoil rocked his hand before Spike had realized he had fired and his feet were carrying him forward. Pierre acted on reflexes alone and coiled back into the protection the pillar provided was his fatal mistake. Spike fired his last round and with speed hadn't used before had closed the distance and lunged at Pierre.

The butt of his gun crashed roughly into Pierre's temple, his left hand reached out, and grasping Pierre's wrist that held the gun, slammed it back with such force into the porcelain of the pillar that Pierre's gun went skimming across the debris covered tile. Spike towered over Pierre, dark eyes flashing with anger as he shoved the barrel of his gun forcefully under Pierre's chin. "What about Faye?"

Pierre managed a grin despite the pain in his throat. "What, you didn't know?" His wheezing voice filled with humor. "Well, don't worry. Francois is probably keeping her company." A feral smile spread across his quivering lips. "I just hope there's enough left for me to have some fun with that whore." Pierre suddenly lashed out, using the pillar behind him for leverage and pushing Spike off of him.

Spike tumbled back several steps and a swell of fear curled to life in his stomach. It was beyond him how Faye had managed to get ahead of him when he left her at the shattered remains of Sweeney's bar. He stood there, trying to comprehend the burning feeling that was rising in the back of his throat like bile. Images from the last couple of months stretched across his vision in rapid procession. Images from the bounty hunt for Renner, cuffing her to him on the bebop, the few horrifying moments when he thought he would fail to catch her when she had the brilliant idea to jump off of this very building.

Everything was convulsing together in one big lump at the base of Spike's heart. He had fought it, and denied it not only to her but to himself. Faye had understood what he was going through faster than he had. She had told him that the scars left from Julia would fade, but he had been skeptical. Then the night that they had met Luc, he hadn't been able to sleep; Faye's words and her image had haunted him as he sat in that bed. Then she had appeared before him and suddenly everything had become very clear. There had been no more denying it. He loved Faye. Maybe he always had, but there had always been the shadow of Julia.

But now, nothing was holding him back. He was alive; the remnants of Julia's dream that had held him ensnared had faded. He loved Faye. He _loved_ her. And it was now clear to him that he only past he saw in his eyes were those few moments he had shared with Faye. But he hadn't been able to tell her that yet. He had hinted at it, but he had never come right out and said it.

Spike stared at Pierre's panting form and slowly holstered his gun somewhere in the depths of his jacket, his voice void of emotion. He hadn't told Faye that he loved her, but that was something that he was going to quickly remedy. And if what Pierre said was true about her being upstairs and she had been hurt - there was going to be hell to pay. Spike's mahogany eyes came back into focus to see Pierre with his ever grinning face and a flash of Faye's beaten and bruised face, her lower lip savagely splintered, jolted through his mind. "Either way," Spike's voice was low and cold. "I still owe you for that split lip of hers."

Before Pierre could react, Spike's fist had caused Pierre's nose crack viciously under the pressure of his knuckles. Pierre blundered blindly back into the wall but didn't have the chance to rest as Spike's fist came down upon him again in a hard right hook. Pierre's jaw flinched to the left only to jut towards the ceiling as Spike followed up with a hard uppercut. Spike's blow came in quick succession. They were relentless and no blow was pulled back. Pierre could only concede and bleed at Spike's mercy.

Spike would have beaten Pierre to death had not the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs caught his attention. In the single second where Spike's blows hesitated, Pierre lashed out, with a strong right hook that sent Spike fumbling back. Pierre wrenched himself free of Spike's grasp and lunged for the open elevator doors. Spike recovered in time to see Pierre clutching a bleeding nose, his lip brutally split reached inside his coat and withdrew a rounded object. "See you on the roof or in Hell, Spiegel!"

As the doors to the elevator drew shut, Pierre lobbed the object into the hall. The cold metallic clang as it hit the floor had Spike swiveling about and sprinting towards the stairwell where the unknown lurked. Spike crashed through the door leading to the stairwell and into the large bulk of the person coming up the stairs just as the grenade exploded in the hall. The blast rocked the foundation of the building and caused the steps that Spike was laying on to tremble, fire pressing in on them from behind.

Spike bowed his head as several pieces of ceiling rained down on him, but not yet ready to move from his harsh landing. As the trembling subsided, the harsh coughing of the person next to him reached his ears. The coughing slowly formed into words. "Damn it, Spike! Is there ever a time when you're not a poster boy for reckless endangerment?"

The deep, rough words caused Spike's eyes to rise and meet Jet's disgruntled face. Jet slowly let out a sigh, moving to stand and Spike followed his example. For several seconds, neither male said anything until Spike remembered why he was in this situation in the first place and scanned the area behind Jet looking for a person he might have missed. At the same time Jet's head shot up, eyes wide and searching for the same person that Spike was.

Their voices echoed through the charred stairwell in unison. "Where's Faye?"

* * *

Faye carefully studied his movements, trying to get some sign from her earlier readings of his motions to see what he was likely to do first. She didn't have to wait long. His right shoulder flinched slightly before he lunged at her, driving the tip of the knife towards Faye's shoulder. Faye reared back, bumping into the wall before twirling out of the way. Faye cursed as her foot caught on some debris on the floor and it didn't take long for Francois to take advantage of her misstep.

Faye sucked back a scream as the blade scrapped into the flesh of her shoulder, tearing through her skin like it was nothing more than the cotton fibers on her shirt. Faye lashed out instinctively, open palm ramming into Francois's nose and affording her not only some distance between Francois and her, but the blade withdrawing from her flesh. With a deep breath, Faye fought to bring a smile to her pain-laced face and stared up at Francois in what she hoped was open mockery. "Fanny, if that's all you can do after all that big talk, then I'm seriously disappointed."

Despite the sharp sting in her shoulder, Faye didn't dare raise a hand to cover the bleeding wound. Her pride wouldn't allow it. Francois glared at her and flicked the knife free of some her blood before crouching low and once again lunging at her. Faye was more prepared this time, she dodged the first blow of the knife and avoided the second swing as it snagged the thin material of her shirt. Faye countered with a quick instep and nailed Francois with a curt jab to his jaw before she spun out of the way as he was quick to retaliate.

This time however, luck was not on her side. Francois showed no hesitation in his movements. Turning to face him, Faye was horrified to discover that her jab had not knocked him back like she had hoped; it only added fuel to his anger and Francois was coming at her with the knife poised to lodge in her throat. Faye had only moments to react and with great effort she threw her weight back into the top of her shoulders, in an attempt the form a back flip. Her arms stretched out behind her, her back beginning to curve with the momentum, and just as her feet began to lift off the floor, an explosion from several floors below shook the foundation of the building. The force of the reverberation sent her spiraling awkwardly through the air, and despite the fact that she knew she was going to land painfully, she figured it was better than the other outcome of having a knife plunged into her throat.

With years of experience and practice, Faye fully curved her back to round out her flip and the knife missing its original target but still slicing open a fresh patch of her pale skin. As she came parallel to the ground, Faye received a shock as her right foot sharply connected with some pliant and obviously human organ. The awkwardness of her flip when from bad to worse as everything went spinning out of control. Her momentum which hadn't been good to being with was thrown off even more, she found her hands slipping as they touched the floor, and caused the entire birth of her body to go crashing roughly to the ground, the wind knocked out of her.

For several brief moments she struggled to inhale, her hand trapped under her feeling fresh blood dripping from her stomach where Francois knife had cut her lightly. The thought of Francois quickly brought her mind back into focus but when she finally opened her eyes it took a few more seconds for the world to shift upright. Faye shifted slightly against the ground, groaning with pain as her eyes caught Francois's prone form several feet away, his body shivering and the harsh wheezing breaths telling Faye that he had come out worse than she had. Obviously her back flip had not been the only thing knocked off balance.

Faye had to blink her vision clear again before she was able to force herself onto her knees and get a better look at her adversary. Faye could only gape at what she saw. Francois had fumbled as soon as the blast had shook the buildings foundation, the knife that had been so precisely aimed for the girls' throat had instead had nothing more than scrap lightly across her abdomen as he tumbled earthward. His fall however was cut short; he flinched and instinctively brought his hands towards his face as her wayward foot slammed into his jaw. The result ended up with Francois on his back, the knife gone from his hands and wedged deeply just above the joint of flesh that connected his shoulder and neck.

Faye crouched there dazed and stunned at the damage her unintended blow had done, unbelieving that she had managed to stay alive and remain relatively unharmed. With a sigh, Faye brought her hand up to her stomach, wincing as the pain that registered there but grateful to notice that the cut wasn't all that deep. The awkward flip and the landing that had come with it had saved her life.

Faye moved to rise, but the faint click of a gun and the beat of steady footsteps moving down the hall froze her to her spot. The steps paused behind her and the smooth, masculine chuckle unhitched the breath she had been holding. "It looks like I'm not needed as much as I thought I was." The voice was deep and familiar. The man gingerly stepped around Faye's form and came to a halt by Francois's shuddering body whose deep gasping breaths had turned into wheezing coughs, blood thickly running across the base of his throat. Amusement laced the man's next words. "She did a number on you, didn't she?"

Faye watched horrified as a beaten and bloody Pierre crouched down next to his brother and tsked disapprovingly. His gun, while not aimed at her, was gripped tightly in his fist ready to fire. Faye studied Pierre's inattentive form for a moment before her eyes traveled to the room where Luc lay along with her gun. Faye knew that she couldn't deal with Pierre as she was, but if she could manage to get to her gun, she stood a chance. Pierre must have seen her tense because the moment she decided to move his gun was swung lazily in her direction and a bullet ripped through the already bloody tissue of her shoulder. A scream tore from Faye's lips.

A smile much more malevolent than Francois's had ever been crossed Pierre's features. "Now, now, mademoiselle. What's your rush?" Faye fell back onto her butt, her hand coming up and immediately wrapping about her shoulder, pride be damned. As she applied pressure to the wound, tears starting to spring up in her eyes, she realized that the bullet had yet to leave.

Blinking back tears, Faye turned her watery eyes up to Pierre's features that were twisted with some perverse satisfaction that he was obviously getting from her pain. Staring down at her, his gaze glued her to her spot before he turned to face his brother again; completely uncaring that he was slowly bleeding to death. Pierre sighed dramatically. "Well Francois, I always knew that you had a half assed way of doing things. While being leader of the Lions is one of them, killing a person is the more prominent one." Pierre sighed and turned his eyes back to Faye. "Although, she is rather lovely, and that face makes it hard to mar her with her own blood."

Pierre's lingered on Faye for several elongated moments before focusing back on his brother. "But you hesitate and that is where your problem lies." Pierre stepped towards Faye and roughly grabbed her by the hair, pulling her up so she was once again on her knees. He leered down at her as Faye fought to keep from screaming as her scalp burned. "I think," Pierre tilted his head to the side as he spoke, his tone low. "It's time for me to take the reins and lead this Syndicate. Wouldn't you agree, Mademoiselle . . . or may I call you Faye?"

Faye refused to answer and had brought her hands up, digging her nails into the flesh around Pierre's wrists, but he seemed oblivious to them. When she failed to respond, he snarled and roughly threw her to the ground. Faye cried out when her wounded shoulder viciously slammed into the wall, but the pain was cut off by surprise when Pierre suddenly turned to Francois his lips curling into a scowl. "Goodbye brother, I'll prove to you that it's not foolish of me to go against you." Pierre's gun turned in his brother's direction whose breathing had grown even more frantic and, without the aforementioned hesitation, pulled the trigger.

The sharp crack of the gun swiftly drove the entire hallway into silence as Francois erratic breaths faded. Faye sat there, eyes wide, her entire being tense as she watch blood splatter from behind Francois's head. Pierre really had killed Francois and Faye could not believe it. Faye was quickly brought from her shock as Pierre's vice grip dug into the bullet hole and knife wound in her shoulder and hauled her to her feet. Faye jolted out her surprise and found herself struggling against the pain only to be silenced when the still warm barrel of his gun brushed against her temple. "Would you like to join my late brother, lovely Faye?"

When Faye didn't answer she was forcefully pushed in the direction of the stairs, her feet sliding across the floor as she tried to comprehend all that had just happened. However, any thoughts that might have surfaced as she was being lead to god knows where was halted as a weak but determined voice broke the silence. "Stop, Pierre!"

Faye squeaked with pain as Pierre brutally dug his fingers into the flesh of her shoulder and whipped her in front of him. It took a minute for Faye to realize who had spoken but turning her eyes to the room where she had been held captive she received a shock. Luc sitting on the ground leaning heavily against the wood frame, Faye's gun in his shaky hands and leveled in their direction. His entire face was pale and Faye could see the finger marks of blood she had left on his white shirt and the blood that stained his torso but never the less he sat there glaring at them.

Despite the threat, Pierre continued forward, hunching down so he was barely peeking over Faye's shoulder. "Go ahead and shoot. But would you willingly kill her to get to me?" No one spoke until Faye and Pierre stopped a few steps short of Luc. Faye managed to keep the gasp that was teasing her lips in when Pierre harshly pressed his gun against her temple, the knuckles of his other hand turning white against the wound of her shoulder. "Drop your weapon, monsieur, or I promise you this lovely ladies body only be a memory of splattered remains across this hall. I believe you saw me kill my brother. Do you think I would even pause over her death?"

Luc scowled up at Pierre. "What makes you think she mean anything to me? She's the one that killed _my_ brother." Faye felt her breath hitch for a moment, and the images from Reeves death replayed in her mind. All Luc had to do was shoot her, all he had to do was put a bullet through her chest and he could extract his revenge for his brother. Faye tried to read what Luc was truly feeling at the moment but his narrowed eyes gave nothing away.

Pierre slowly pushed Faye forward several steps until the tip of Luc's gun brushed against the cut in her abdomen. "Then go ahead, kill her." Pierre's taunt sent a shiver down Faye's spine. Luc stared emotionlessly up at Faye for what seemed an eternity, his hands shaking violently from the blood loss and indecision. Faye closed her eyes briefly and drew in a deep breath. It appeared that fate was not on her side, somebody out there had it in for her.

Resolutely, Faye opened her eyes and stared down at the man before her. If anybody was going to kill her, then she preferred that it would be Luc. She would take that as her atonement for Reeves. With resolve she allowed her eyes to meet Luc's hardened ones. They stared at each other, each with bland faces but eyes alight with emotions that neither could get a grasp on. Faye saw the torment that raged in Luc. He was so close to fulfilling his dream. All he had to do was shoot her to avenge his brother, and then all that was left was to take out Pierre – end the Lion Syndicate for good. With Francois gone, Pierre was all that was left of the Lions reign of terror over the French colonies. One bullet and it was over, one bullet and everything would be accounted for. But Luc hesitated and Faye couldn't understand why.

The tears were gone from her eyes, despite the pain that was lancing through her from Pierre's fingers in her shoulder. As she stared down at Luc's struggling features all fear was gone. "Luc, go ahead. Everything will be fine." Faye wasn't even sure if she spoke the words, but the message seemed to hit Luc full force because slowly the torment in his irises faded and he clutched his gun with more resolve.

And then the unthinkable happened.

Luc lowered the gun. "Goddamn it!" His scream cut through the hall and he forcefully threw Faye's gun away from his person and down the hall. Faye felt her eyes close when the gun bounced across the floor and skimmed to a stop by the wall a good distance out of reach.

Pierre laughed gleefully. "Just as I thought." He pushed Faye off to the side and suddenly lashed out with his foot, the tip of his boot catching in Luc's midsection causing him to bash roughly against the doorframe and rough up his bullet wound. Luc's moan only caused Pierre's smile to widen. "You are like so many others in the colonies; just another lump of fresh sucking up our precious air. Not much different from your brother."

Pierre kicked Luc again and when Faye struggled he roughly slammed the butt of his gun across her head. Faye faltered in his grip, blinded by the pain that flashed with a harsh light in front of her closed eyes. "Although," Pierre muttered down to Luc again. "You did manage to do what your brother didn't. You blew up Francois's little science project, didn't you? Was it revenge for how we controlled your brother?" Pierre looked down as he studied Luc than turned his eyes back to Faye. "Don't deny it. I know you wanted to avenge him. You wanted it so badly you could taste it, couldn't you?" Pierre laughed as his eyes slid to Faye. "But you couldn't finish it, could you? Couldn't bring yourself to kill the woman who shot him."

A heavy silence followed where Faye tried to shake off the pain that was completely encompassing her frame and Luc's scream of pain echoed her thoughts. "Oh well, it's doesn't really matter." Pierre cut in, his tone light and airy. "Those chips were never my idea. You see . . ." Faye suddenly felt Pierre's hot breath brushing eagerly over her ear. "I love breaking people to my will." Pierre roughly pushed Faye forward and Faye fought back. It only earned her Pierre's fingers burrowing into her wound followed by a sharp slap across her face. "And it seems that lovely Faye needs to be broken." Pierre's breath trickled over her ears in a heeded rush. Faye knees gave out from under her and her entire frame was shivering with the pain Pierre was inflecting upon her. It was a pain similar to extracting a bullet, except this time Pierre's fingers were not gingerly easing into the swollen tissue as Jet would have kindly done.

While Faye squirmed under his grip, Pierre turned his gaze towards Luc's heaving form. "Well, monsieur. Consider yourself lucky. I have no time to deal with you, besides it's unfitting for a half-French man to kill another half-French man. Wouldn't you agree?" Pierre stopped to consider Luc's wounds and laughed lightly. "Of course, I don't think that really matters. By the looks of things, you'll bleed to death in a short while. I hope you lived your life to the fullest."

Pierre's fingers abruptly left Faye's shoulder and instead curled in her violet locks of hair, harshly pulling her to the balls of her feet so her face drew level with his. The pain in Faye's shoulder still throbbed even though his fingers were gone and Faye found it hard to keep her eyes open to stare at Pierre. "Well, mademoiselle, shall we go?" Pierre leered at Faye and gently ran the barrel of his gun across her cheek before thrusting her forward.

Luc struggled to sit up from his prone position on the floor when Pierre pushed Faye forward, but the pain was too great. "You fucker!" His scream carried down the hall as the pair started to walk away. "Don't you dare walk away! Coward! Asshole! Mother fucking piece of shit!"

Pierre blatantly ignored Luc's screams and forcefully dragged Faye down the hall by her hair. Faye stumbled along trying to keep up with Pierre's fast pace as to ease the pain at the roots of her hair. When they reached the stairs, Pierre hauled her up against his body, his fingers roughly finding the wound in her shoulder again before pressing a brutal kiss to her bloody lips. Both hissed with pain at the pressure applied to both of their split lips, but Pierre seemed to savor the sensation where Faye was appalled by it. When Pierre finally pulled back, his bloody grin flashed pink tinged teeth and he suggestively ran his eyes over her face.

"I am sorry we can't take the elevator, my dear, you see, it stops at this floor. You have my apologies. But we have no time to waste with idle chatter, mademoiselle, for we have an appointment on the roof." Pierre gave her hair a vicious yank and sent her clamoring onto the stairs. Faye barely had time to blink before Pierre's hands were on her again, rough grabbing her breast before sliding up to her shoulder and hauling her to her feet. With another rough shove forward he had her moving and climbing up the set of stairs, Luc's protesting screams fading into the distance with each step she took.

* * *

Spike and Jet hadn't wasted any time and had begun climbing the stairs as soon as the question had left their lips. Both men were feeling a tinge of panic as they climbed, and after climbing a few floors, Jet made the breathless suggestions of checking to see where the elevator had stopped. When they had come to the next floor and found the elevator, Spike couldn't help but glower at the light that had highlighted the fifty-seventh floor. Spike had made to head for the stairs again, but Jet had calmly stopped the man and jabbed the button for the elevator. The wait for the slow moving machine had wrecked both their nerves. The ride up was even worse.

As soon as the elevator doors had opened, both men felt their blood freeze at anguished screams that filled the hall. Before Spike knew what he was doing he was sprinting towards the sound, barely registering the sounds of Jet's heavy footfalls following him. It was Francois's body that he saw first, a knife lodged within his neck and a bullet hole the source of the scattered bone fragments, blood and brain tissue that littered the floor.

Luc's screams had died down now, but Spike could hear him gently muttering and jogged to where Luc was sprawled across the floor, blood drenching his entire frame. Spike came to a stop several feet from Luc hard eyes staring down almost uncaringly at the man before him. Luc seemed completely unaware of Spike's or Jet's presence until Jet spoke. "Goddamn."

Luc's head shot up at the sound and the panic that had infused his face lessened slightly. "You've got to stop him! You have to hurry!" Luc was practically screaming again and Jet rushed forward to check the damage. When Luc realized that Jet wasn't listening to him he began to struggle in the bigger man's hold shouting about 'hurrying after them.'

Jet gave Luc a critical glance before he turned his eyes back to Spike. "He needs help, Spike." He practically had to scream over Luc's protests. "He won't last much longer. I think the blood loss is getting to him."

Spike's eyes turned and surveyed the area his eyes falling on Faye's gun against the wall. The sight of it made his heart twist painfully. With bold strides he quickly walked over to it and picked it up, ejecting the clip to see that there was a good number of bullets still in it. Slamming it shut he turned back to Jet who was putting pressure on Luc's back and easing the man off the floor. "Get him out of here, Jet. I'm going after Faye!" Spike turned purposefully towards the stairwell and didn't bother to wait for Jet's reply.

With two determined strides, Spike had gone from an easy jog to a full fledged run and was bounding up the steps two at a time. He grabbed the railing to help pull his weight around the curve and up the next flight of steps, his free hand shoving Faye's gun into coat. Spike had only become more determined. Nothing was going to stop him from telling Faye he loved her.

* * *

Faye hissed with pain when her body hit gravel. For several seconds she lay on the roof glad to have Pierre's fingers off of her aching body but somewhat perturbed by the familiarity of the gravel she was laying on. Faye lifted her head and glanced around the roof with uneasiness. Not much had changed since she had last graced this roof with her presence. The only differences were the missile launcher near the side of the building remained cold and silent and if Faye got the idea in her head to jump this time, there would be no one there to catch her.

Faye was brought out of her observation as Pierre came to a stop above her, his feet straddling her prone form to keep her from trying to stand. His dark eyes glared down at her, studying her form with a playful smirk. Obviously Faye's recognition of the place had shown in her eyes for Pierre laughed heartily as he spoke. "Ah, so you do remember this place. All the better I suppose." Pierre's hand suddenly shot towards her and Faye flinched even before his fingers touched her flesh, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by Pierre. "What? Don't care for my touch?" He hauled her up to her feet by her hair and dragged her towards the edge of the roof, forcefully shoving her towards the small concrete wall that separate the edge of the roof from the ground. Pierre's grip moved from her hair to her forearm right before he roughly thrust her into and over the wall.

Faye swallowed as she found herself staring down at the unwelcoming pavement sixty stories below. Faye vaguely noted that the only part of her feet that touched the roof were the tips of her toes. Faye sucked in her breath when Pierre tilted her farther forward, the concrete wall digging harshly against the skin of her upper thighs and her world tilting when she discovered that she no longer had any control over if she was pulled back on to the roof or was allowed to fall.

Faye hissed at the pain that lanced through her forearm from Pierre's harsh grip and felt the pressure building in her shoulders from the position of his other hand digging into her muscles there. But as she dangled sixty stories above the ground, she didn't dare complain having realized that he was the only thing keeping her from falling. Pierre chuckled brazenly. "I don't have to touch you mademoiselle. If you would like I could let go. But," he paused and his grip on her loosened slightly and Faye felt her start to slip, earth's gravity pulling her towards the pavement below. "Would you really rather fall sixty stories to your death?"

Faye found she couldn't answer, not because she didn't want too, but because her teeth had clamped down on her tongue. It wasn't that she didn't have the words, for she had a plethora of them, it was the fact that she was positive that Pierre wouldn't take those words very kindly. Pierre snorted at her silence and suddenly yanked her back onto the solid ground of the roof. Faye stumbled; trying to regain her footing but her problem ended as Pierre pulled her to him and viciously pressed his lips to hers.

Faye snapped. She squirmed under the pressure and force of his grip and managed to pull her right arm free. Seconds after she had broken his grip, she brought her hand up to the side of his face and savagely tore her nail into his cheek. Pierre's lips jerked away from hers with hiss of pain and Faye used his momentary lapse in attention to swiftly bring her knee up into his groin. His reaction was the one Faye had been hoping for. The moment Pierre's hand released her Faye turned and bolted toward the door. Faye's equilibrium was shot and she found herself stumbling earthward, and her hands immediately shot out to catch her fall. Both her hands and feet scrapped at the gravel beneath her, trying to gain her footing, but dizziness was assaulting her senses. By the time the sensation had passed and had managed to get to her feet, Pierre too was moving again. Faye dared a glance behind her in time to see Pierre lung and the next thing she knew they were both crashing to the ground.

Faye didn't feel the impact. All there she could see was a rich blackness and she found it strangely comforting. The pain from her shoulder was gone along with any worries that she might have had about the entire night. She was in complete bliss. Somewhere in the distance around her, she could hear the soft crunch of someone moving about her, she could hear someone speaking to her but couldn't make out the words. While she hung there in the darkness, a voice somewhere in the back of her head vaguely noted that this was what it felt like to give up – to stop fighting.

Faye glanced around at the peaceful darkness and realized that the temptation to give in had always been there. Now that pull was stronger than she ever remembered. But a voice ragged at her from somewhere in the back of her mind telling her that there was a reason why she never gave in, but she couldn't remember it. Faye couldn't remember what she had struggled so futilely for. Why had she been torturing herself? Why did she still continue to struggle?

As if in answer to her question a large bang broke through the darkness and forced her eyes open. A muddled reality greeted Faye's eyes and she found herself being roughly pinned to the gravel by Pierre whose gaze was locked at something ahead of her. Slowly turning her head, Faye's eyes traveled to the door that lead to the stairwell to see a silhouetted person stepping through it.

The man took confident strides to the pair, and Pierre, seeing his abrupt arrival wasn't going to stop at the doorway, hastily hauled Faye to her feet and brought his fingers to her shoulder. But this went unnoticed by Faye; all she could see were the rich mahogany eyes of the man who was coming at them, the mismatched irises that burned with such intensity at her that her heart gave an odd lurch. Faye blinked twice as she stared at the man and couldn't stop the crooked smile that pulled at her lips. "Oh," Faye's voice sounded somewhat distant, but she had just realized the answer to all her questions that hounded her in the darkness. "_That's_ why."

Suddenly Faye's senses came slamming back with such clarity that she felt like she had been hit with a sledge hammer. The sight of Spike Spiegel was all she needed to realize why she continued to fight. He was the reason she put up with all the pain and all the lies. He was the reason why she never gave up. But as Pierre roughly jabbed at her wounded shoulder, and dragged her back several steps, she also realized that he was the reason she was in this situation in the first place. Faye felt the familiar vestiges of anger rusting into her nerves.

Pierre didn't take any notice to the change in Faye's demeanor. His focus was completely fixated on Spike. "Nice of you to join us, Spiegel," Pierre spat, his free hand reaching into his coat reassuringly caressing the gun hidden within its depths. Faye winced as Pierre increased the pressure on her shoulder, but refused to show any other sign of discomfort.

Spike's eyes flickered from Pierre's to Faye's and Faye knew that he immediately noticed the anger seething beneath the surface. Faye felt her gut twist and understood just by staring into his rich eyes that when he spoke he would be addressing her and not Pierre.

Spike's entire frame was nonchalant when he spoke, even though his eyes spoke in volumes. "Faye." Spike blatantly ignored Pierre, his focused solely on the woman in his grip. "There's something that I need to tell you."

Pierre snarled at the dismissal anger lighting his face. "How dare you-"

But Faye's rage was greater. "Is that all you came up here for? To tell me something?" Faye fought against Pierre's grip which tightened about her arm as she spoke. "Whose fault do you think it is that I'm in this situation?"

Pierre yanked her back into him, increasing the pressure on her shoulder and growled when Faye only gave a light squeak of pain. "Don't ignore me, Spiegel! I'll be more than willing to see how much she can really bleed."

A cocky grin had crossed Spike's features at Faye's words and he completely ignored Pierre's threats. "I'll admit, it's probably is my fault." Any words that were straining to erupt from Faye's lips died at the admission. Spike Spiegel was admitting that he was to blame? Was the world coming to an end? Spike didn't seem to notice her shock. "But, you wouldn't have listened if I had told you anyway. So, really, you're as much to blame as I am." The temper that had been beaten back by shock flared back to life.

Pierre was now shivering with as much rage as Faye was. "Don't mess with me, Spiegel! You should know better than anyone!"

Faye was sure she was foaming at the mouth. "You conceited asshole! I can't believe that I actually listened to all that bullshit you were sprouting earlier!" Her tone took on a mockingly masculine tone with a forced laugh. "'_I_ _thought I was fascinated by you._' Jesus Christ! How stupid was I to actually believe that! I must have bumped my head harder than I thought when I crashed the Redtail!"

Spike quickly cut in. "Wait Faye, just listen."

But Faye wouldn't have it. "No, you listen! I am sick and tired of you bull-"

"I love you!" Spike's words froze anything Faye was going to say to the roof of her mouth and the roof was plunged into silence. Faye suddenly found herself caught in Spike's stare. The earnest light from those few nights ago was presence in their deaths and Faye once again found herself paralyzed by the intensity.

Faye found she had trouble forcing her words out. "Why should I listen to you?" Shock had bleached her words dry.

"Because it's true," Spike voice was low but the earnestness of his eyes had carried to his tone. "I love you."

Faye couldn't find any words but she was spared responding as Pierre started to crackle with laughter. "How touching!" Pierre growled, his words slowly rolling into French with his fury. "Comment magnificent! Il l'aime! Bel amour!" The shivering anger that had plagued Faye had ebbed off with Spike's words was starting to build in Faye's frame again at the sound of the French. "Now, all that is needed is the grand finale. And I know just how to end it. Tout est beau! Les paysages, le moment, et vous – vous paraitrez bel eclabousse dans le sang!" Pierre whispered the final words in Faye's ear as he pulled her closer to his body, his free hand savagely caressing her breast and began to pull Faye toward the edge of the roof.

Anything else Pierre might have whispered to Faye could have staved off her anger. But she tolerance for the French language had long reached its limit and all the pent up emotions from the last few days that Faye had kept bundled up came sprouting to the surface when Spike had tried to talk to her boiled with renewed vigor. And it pushed her over the edge.

Faye dug her heels into the gravel and her entire body became rigid with her rage as Pierre began to drag her. Faye tilted her head so her mouth was leveled with Pierre's ear and spoke in a low and dangerous tone. "I've had enough of you."

Before Pierre could comprehend the words, Faye brought the heel of her shoe down into Pierre's foot and quickly followed it with a hard elbow to his stomach. Pierre's hold on her loosened immensely and for the first time in a while Faye was able to break free. With adrenaline pumping through her system, Faye turned on the man that had dared to hold her captive and proceeded to finish what Spike hadn't downstairs. Her fists rammed into his pliant flesh with great satisfaction.

Faye's rage wasn't curbed until Pierre's knees buckled beneath him and he slumped earthward with a groan of pain. Faye loomed over his body for several moments as if challenging him to rise from the gravel. When his body made no movement to rise, she allowed her gaze to fall to Spike who hadn't moved throughout the beating. He watched her nonchalantly as she approached, eyes taking in her panting form appreciatively and let out a low whistle. "Wow. Pretty impressive," the neutrality of his voice only spurned Faye forward.

Faye stalked up to him, her muscle in her body still fuming with her anger. "You asshole," Faye drew her hand back and brought with full force across Spike's face. Or at least attempted to, Spike easily caught her wrist before it connected. Faye tried to pry her hand free without success. "Why do you do this to me? You make me so angry!" Faye used her free hand to beat her retribution into his chest. "I can't stand the fact that I'm actually in love with an asshole like you! How dare you say this is my fault! How dare you!" Faye was shivering but it was no longer out of anger. The moment she had gotten close to him, her anger had faltered as quickly as it had flared. He had said he loved her. He had said those three little words and all the anger that she held for him had vanished.

Then there were his eyes and the earnestness they held. His mismatched mahogany irises burnt through her and Faye was unable to form any coherent words. Spike released the hand she had tried to slap him with but in compensation he closed the distance between them. Faye felt her breath hitch. She shivered involuntarily as Spike's left arm wrapped about her waist and his right hand came up to gently grasp her chin.

He leaned in closer to her, the warm of this breath fluttering over her cheek and her heart lurched oddly again. Spike titled his head slightly and his words held a softer tone than Faye could ever remember hearing from her. "I meant it, Faye. I love you."

Faye found it hard to swallow and had to force herself to breathe to keep from being overpowered by his gaze. "Say it again." Faye's words were barely audible despite how close they were.

One corner of Spike's mouth quirked with amusement, but instead of saying anything he brought his lips down to hers. His lips soft and pliant against hers, gently caressing over the wound the donned her lower half of her mouth. Faye felt her world melting under the pressure of his lips, all hesitancy to fully believe in Spike fading too nonexistence. All too soon, Spike pulled back from her, his breath once again tickling her cheek but instead of straightening he leaned in even closer until his lips brushed against her ear. His words sent shivers down her spine. "I love you, Faye Valentine."

Faye couldn't stop the smile that pulled at her mouth or the blush that tinted her cheeks pink. Faye was about to speak when Spike stiffened, his eyes once so vibrant and soft quickly hardened as they lifted to face something over her shoulder. The voice that rang out behind Faye didn't come as that big of a shock. Pierre was not as incapacitated as they thought he had been. "How disappointing it is that the Red Dragon Leader can be killed so easily. Now tell where would you like the bullet? In your head or in your chest?"

Faye turned within Spike's grasp to see Pierre taking several staggering steps toward them, gun drawn and leveled at Spike. Faye suddenly felt naked, the idle thought of her gun lying abandoned in the hall three floors below. For reassurance that Faye never felt she needed before, she wrapped her arm about Spike's waist inside his jacket and froze as her hand came in contact with cool metal. Whether or not Spike realized what she was doing, he was still completely nonchalant and Faye knew that she needed to act the same. Trying not to draw attention to herself, she began to try to hoist the gun out of its holster when Spike's large hand settled on her shoulder.

Something about the strength of his grip, forced Faye's eyes up to his and what she found there stunned her. Faye couldn't even name the emotion. But Faye understood the message they sent. Slowly, Faye released her hold on the gun reluctantly, and even as she did so, she found herself being easily guided behind Spike's larger frame. He spoke only when she was securely behind him. "Do you really think you can kill me that easily?"

Pierre let out another barking laugh and cocked his gun. "I know I can." Pierre's tone was low and cold, however it them that caused Faye's back to stiffen and her heart to catch in her rib cage. There was a much more ominous sound rattling and humming behind her. It was a sound that she had become very familiar with recently. Faye almost dreaded turning around, knowing that if she did so she would only confirm her fears that an aircraft was hovering there. Faye felt slightly sick.

Apprehension clogged her movements as she turned to face what she was sure would be her doom, and couldn't stop her exclamation at the sight of the machine. "No, it can't be!" But there was no denying that the ship was not the Lions ship she had been expecting. Instead the sleek gray ship donned the Red Dragons symbol on its wing. For several seconds nothing but air pushed out of her mouth as it opened and closed.

Not really sure what to do, Faye turned back to face the two men behind her and found that the smile that had been plastered to Pierre's face all day had been wiped clean. The gun that had been so vehemently poised in their direction had drooped dramatically, all his confidence fading with each passing second the aircraft hovered behind them. It was Spike that surprised Faye. He hadn't even bothered to turn about to see what the source of the noise had been.

He was completely aloof to the entire situation. "Still think you can?" Spike's voice was rich with false humor and when Pierre could sputter incoherently Spike snorted. In a moment that feigned great boredom, Spike casually lifted his arm in Pierre's direction, his hand curling into the shape of a gun. For a moment he stood there, his head tilting to the side as if considering something and then he spoke one single syllable that jolted down Faye's spine. "Bang."

Spike's arm shot skyward with the false recoil of his imaginary weapon and the moment his hand drew even with his ear, the Red Dragons aircraft opened fired. Faye felt herself give a small shriek of shock as dozen upon dozen of bullets pelted into Pierre's unsuspecting frame from the machine gun that was attached to the ships side. The impact of each bullet vibrated through Pierre's system with enough force to send him staggering back into the concrete wall that separated the roof from the ground.

For a single moment Pierre hung there suspended by gravity, eyes wide and staring disbelievingly at Spike and Faye before he teetered and plunged to the pavement sixty floors below. When the metallic whirl of the aircrafts machine gun slowed to a halt, a heavy silence filtered down upon the two occupants of the roof, neither completely sure what to say.

Finally Spike turned to face Faye and the airship that hovered behind her. With a simple wave of his arm, the ships engines gave a sharp hum as it began to life skyward. Faye's eyes watched as it pulled away from the roof, effortlessly pulling against gravity before it banked left and was gone from view as quickly as it had come. Faye stood there gaping speechlessly, not sure what to make of the entire situation and jolted when Spike's hand suddenly encompassed hers. Faye turned to stare at the man beside her, completely at a loss. Spike squeezed her hand reassuringly and began to lead her toward the door to the staircase. "Come on, Faye. Let's go get you cleaned up." Spike's soft tone hadn't help Faye, and all she could do was nod and dumbly follow.

That was until the door burst open and revealed a man in a suit. The gun in the man's hand swept over the roof and then quickly lowered when his eyes hit the pair slowly coming towards him. The man suddenly became rigid and gave a sharp nod to Spike as he held the door open from them when they reached the staircase. It was in that moment that Faye's tongue wrenched itself off the top of her mouth. "Spike?"

Spike's only reply as he guided her down the stairs was a soft hum. "Hm?"

Faye glanced back at the young man who closed the door behind them and slowly started to follow them down. Faye felt her temper start to rise again. "Spike . . ." She drawled out his name again, her voice clipped and full of warning, but despite it, Spike seemed unfazed. "I thought you said that the Red Dragons Syndicate had nothing to do with you anymore."

The only answer Faye received was the smirk that thickened across Spike's lips.

End.

_An: Ah! I'm done! Sorry it took so long for the update, I've been a little busy. But can't complain now, can you? Okay, maybe you can considering this is the last chapter. But hey, at least it's long! Well, at least the longest chapter I've written for fragments. How fitting. Wow. What an adventure this piece had been. I can't believe that I have finished this story. Almost two years. Anyway, enough babble. I want to thank all the people who have reviewed and read this story. I had a fun time writing it and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I know a lot of you are probably upset by my ending, but what can I say. I love it. As always please forgive typing errors. I have spent most of the day typing this bad boy out and am in the mood to post it right away – get it out so you guys can read it. So forgive things I missed. We'll see where I go from here. If people want it, with enough pleading, I might be up for writing something else. But we'll see. Take it easy! _

_Comment magnificent! Il l'aime! Bel amour_! - How magnificent! He loves her! Beautiful Love!

_Tout est beau! Les paysages, le moment, et vous – vous paraitrez bel eclabousse dans le sang!_ – All is beautiful! The scenery, the moment, and you – you will look beautiful splattered in blood!

Space Raider: I hope you enjoyed the rest of the chapters! And hopefully this was a decent ending to a long story. (Smile) Well anyway thanks for reviewing! Take it easy!

Phoenix521: Sorry about all the French that I used over all the chapters. Something I plan to remedy if I ever write another story. I couldn't kill off Luc, I liked him too much. If I do anything else with this piece like a sequel I think I will have some fun with him. Well thank you so much for all your review! They meant the world to me. And they were part of the reason I kept working at this. I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! Take it easy!

Kyra: Was this like anything you were expecting? I am so very pleased with the ending, but I have a feeling that many people are going to hate it. What can I say I love open endings! Well I'll be talking with you soon! Take it easy!

Oyuki: Nope, Luc's not dead. I like him too much to kill him off. Anyway, thanks so much for your support throughout this story! Reviews like yours always gave me the will to write! I hope you enjoyed reading this! Take it easy!

Kendra: It's been nearly twice as long since I updated from the last time! Oh well. Thanks for your support throughout this piece! And I definitely know what you mean about Samurai Champloo fics! (wink) Take it easy!

Aritwist: Sorry for the long wait! I'm so glad that I got you hooked! I love it that people were so pleased with this story! Was the last chapter worth all that reading? Thanks for the review! Take it easy!

Katsuko: Anything to help a fellow student get through finals! Thanks so much for the support! I hope this last chapter was satisfying! Take it easy!

Josie: Sorry! So sorry! I was really, really busy. Between my brother's wedding, doing school work, work work, etc, it all just piled up and this story got shoved to the wayside. I will tell you something though your review got me off my butt and working like mad! So I hope this long chapter makes amends! Thanks for your support! Take it easy!

Vic Sage: All right, all right! Don't kill me. That's all I ask! I know I said I would let you read it before I posted but . . . you were around when I finished it! I couldn't leave my audience hanging longer than I have! I'll make it up to you! We can do whatever shot you want to do at the bar! Even though you know I love my Red Headed Slut shots. (Smile) Talk to you soon and hopefully see you before our next class. Take it easy!

BloodFat: Yay! Number 200! I'm so happy! And what do you mean my story sucks big ones? Huh? (Smile) Thanks for the review! Take it easy!


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